Anatomical terminology and nomenclature: past, present and highlights

Abstract

The anatomical terminology is a base for medical communication. It is elaborated into a nomenclature in Latin. Its history goes back to 1895, when the first Latin anatomical nomenclature was published as Basiliensia Nomina Anatomica. It was followed by seven revisions (Jenaiensia Nomina Anatomica 1935, Parisiensia Nomina Anatomica 1955, Nomina Anatomica 2nd to 6th edition 1960-1989). The last revision, Terminologia Anatomica, (TA) created by the Federative Committee on Anatomical Terminology and approved by the International Federation of Associations of Anatomists, was published in 1998. Apart from the official Latin anatomical terminology, it includes a list of recommended English equivalents. In this article, major changes and pitfalls of the nomenclature are discussed, as well as the clinical anatomy terms. The last revision (TA) is highly recommended to the attention of not only teachers, students and researchers, but also to clinicians, doctors, translators, editors and publishers to be followed in their activities.

Information on the Changes in the Revised Anatomical Nomenclature of the Lower Limb Veins

“…1,7 ). Unfortunately applying the word fascia in the term "fascia saphena" is misleading due to its structure, which is totally different from a general structure of any fascia 2,3,8 . Clinically, in patients undergoing radiofrequency ablation or endovenous laser therapy, a fluid with anesthetic is applied under ultrasound control into the compartimentum saphenum to reduce the postoperative pain 8 .…”

Mistakes in the Usage of Anatomical Terminology in Clinical Practice

“…Joseph Hyrtl already expressed his amazement over such terms in 1880 15 . For further details and eponyms, see publications concentrating on the terminology, nomenclature, and TA 8,14,[24][25][26][27][28] , supported by grants of the Czech Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports -www.anatomickenazvoslovi.cz.…”

A plea for extension of the anatomical nomenclature. Part 1: Nervous system and senses

“…And several grammar changes have to be discussed, although majority of them has been solved and proposed in our previous articles [13][14][15][16] 01.026), should be slightly changed to constrictio pharyngooesophagea to be consistent with other structures using the adjective "oesophageus". Moreover, as a nonpreferred synonym, the term constrictio cricoidea can be added.…”

“…From the grammatical point of view, the term "peroneus" should be chosen but as proposed in our previous articles, the term fibularis should be the preferred one for all the structures [13][14][15] -denominations of liver segment V, VI and VIII lack the side indication; the anterior medial segment (segment V) should be specified as right anterior medial segment and similarly for segment VI and VIII; -the term round ligament of the liver should be slightly changed to round ligament of liver because the definite article is not commonly used in the list of terms in TA; -there are mistakes in denominations of structures of the tympanic membrane related to the malleus -the incorrect terms "anterior and posterior malleolar folds, malleolar stria and malleolar prominence" should be changed to anterior and posterior mallear folds, mallear stria and mallear prominence because the term "malleolar" is related to malleolus of the leg and the term "mallear" to the auditory ossicle malleus. Some terms deserve further scientific research as their anatomy is not either well known and understood or precisely and correctly described and presented.…”