Anatomical Terminology
Directional Terms
| Term |
Opposite |
Meaning |
| Anterior/Posterior |
Ventral/Dorsal |
Toward front/back |
| Superior/Inferior |
Cranial/Caudal |
Toward head/feet |
| Medial/Lateral |
— |
Toward midline/away |
| Proximal/Distal |
— |
Toward trunk/away |
| Superficial/Deep |
— |
Toward surface/inside |
| Palmar/Plantar |
Volar |
Hand/foot surface |
Anatomical Planes
| Plane |
Divides |
Example use |
| Sagittal |
Left/right |
MRI midsagittal |
| Coronal (Frontal) |
Anterior/posterior |
Coronal CT |
| Transverse (Axial) |
Superior/inferior |
CT axial slices |
| Oblique |
Angled |
Specialized imaging |
Skeletal System
Bone Classification
| Category |
Examples |
Features |
| Long bones |
Femur, humerus |
Shaft + epiphyses |
| Short bones |
Carpals, tarsals |
Cube-shaped |
| Flat bones |
Scapula, skull |
Thin, protective |
| Irregular bones |
Vertebrae |
Complex shapes |
| Sesamoid bones |
Patella |
Embedded in tendon |
Axial Skeleton
class SkeletalAnatomy:
"""Skeletal system information"""
# Skull bones
SKULL_BONES = {
"cranial": ["frontal", "parietal (2)", "temporal (2)",
"occipital", "sphenoid", "ethmoid"],
"facial": ["nasal (2)", "maxilla (2)", "zygomatic (2)",
"mandible", "palatine (2)", "lacrimal (2)", "vomer"]
}
# Vertebral column
VERTEBRAL_REGIONS = {
"cervical": {"count": 7, "features": "Transverse foramina, bifid spinous"},
"thoracic": {"count": 12, "features": "Costal facets"},
"lumbar": {"count": 5, "features": "Large bodies, no foramina"},
"sacral": {"count": 5, "fused": True},
"coccygeal": {"count": 4, "fused": True}
}
# Major bone markings
BONE_MARKINGS = {
"processes": ["spinous", "transverse", "condyle", "tubercle",
"trochanter", "tuberosity"],
"depressions": ["fossa", "acetabulum", "glenoid cavity"],
"openings": ["foramen", "meatus", "sinus", "canal"]
}
Appendicular Skeleton
| Bone |
Location |
Joints |
| Clavicle |
Shoulder girdle |
Sternoclavicular, acromioclavicular |
| Scapula |
Posterior thorax |
Glenohumeral |
| Humerus |
Arm |
Elbow |
| Radius/Forearm |
Wrist, elbow |
|
| Femur |
Thigh |
Hip, knee |
| Tibia/Fibula |
Leg |
Ankle, knee |
| Pelvis |
Hip |
Ox Coxae |
Muscular System
Muscle Classification
| Type |
Characteristics |
Examples |
| Skeletal |
Striated, voluntary |
Most body muscles |
| Smooth |
Involuntary, non-striated |
Vessels, gut |
| Cardiac |
Involuntary, striated |
Heart |
Major Muscle Groups
class MuscularAnatomy:
"""Muscle information"""
# Upper limb
SHOULDER_MUSCLES = {
"rotator_cuff": ["supraspinatus", "infraspinatus",
"teres minor", "subscapularis"],
"other": ["deltoid", "pectoralis major", "latissimus dorsi"]
}
ARM_MUSCLES = {
"anterior": ["biceps brachii", "brachialis", "coracobrachialis"],
"posterior": ["triceps brachii"]
}
# Lower limb
HIP_MUSCLES = {
"flexors": ["iliopsoas", "rectus femoris", "tensor fasciae latae"],
"extensors": ["gluteus maximus", "hamstrings"],
"abductors": ["gluteus medius", "gluteus minimus"],
"adductors": ["adductor magnus", "adductor longus", "pectineus"]
}
LEG_MUSCLES = {
"anterior": ["quadriceps femoris", "tibialis anterior"],
"posterior": ["hamstrings", "gastrocnemius", "soleus"]
}
Muscle Attachment Patterns
| Origin |
Insertion |
Movement |
| Movable bone (proximal) |
Stationary bone (distal) |
Contraction moves |
Nervous System
Central Nervous System
class NervousAnatomy:
"""Nervous system information"""
# Brain regions
BRAIN_REGIONS = {
"forebrain": {
"telencephalon": ["cerebral cortex", "basal ganglia", "limbic system"],
"diencephalon": ["thalamus", "hypothalamus", "epithalamus"]
},
"midbrain": ["tectum", "tegmentum", "crura cerebri"],
"hindbrain": {
"metencephalon": ["pons", "cerebellum"],
"myelencephalon": ["medulla oblongata"]
}
}
# Cranial nerves
CRANIAL_NERVES = {
1: "Olfactory (sensory)",
2: "Optic (sensory)",
3: "Oculomotor (motor)",
4: "Trochlear (motor)",
5: "Trigeminal (mixed)",
6: "Abducens (motor)",
7: "Facial (mixed)",
8: "Vestibulocochlear (sensory)",
9: "Glossopharyngeal (mixed)",
10: "Vagus (mixed)",
11: "Accessory (motor)",
12: "Hypoglossal (motor)"
}
# Spinal cord segments
SPINAL_CORD = {
"cervical": {"pairs": 8, "levels": "C1-C8"},
"thoracic": {"pairs": 12, "levels": "T1-T12"},
"lumbar": {"pairs": 5, "levels": "L1-L5"},
"sacral": {"pairs": 5, "levels": "S1-S5"},
"coccygeal": {"pairs": 1, "levels": "Co1"}
}
Peripheral Nervous System
| Division |
Components |
Function |
| Somatic |
12 cranial + 31 spinal |
Voluntary movement |
| Autonomic |
Sympathetic/parasympathetic |
Involuntary |
Cardiovascular System
Heart Anatomy
Heart Layers:
┌────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Pericardium (visceral/parietal)│
├────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Myocardium │
├────────────────────────────────────┤
│ Endocardium │
└────────────────────────────────────┘
Chambers: RA → RV → LA → LV
Valves: Tricuspid → Pulmonic → Mitral → Aortic
Great Vessels
class CardiovascularAnatomy:
"""Cardiovascular system"""
# Heart conduction system
CONDUCTION_SYSTEM = {
"SA_node": {"location": "Right atrium, crista terminalis",
"rate": "60-100 bpm"},
"AV_node": {"location": "Tricuspid valve area",
"rate": "40-60 bpm"},
"Bundle_of_His": {"location": "Interventricular septum"},
"Purkinje_fibers": {"location": "Ventricular walls"}
}
# Blood supply
CORONARY_ARTERIES = {
"LAD": {"supplies": "Anterior wall, septum", "branch": "Left coronary"},
"LCx": {"supplies": "Lateral wall", "branch": "Left coronary"},
"RCA": {"supplies": "Right atrium, posterior wall", "branch": "Right coronary"}
}
Respiratory System
Airway Divisions
class RespiratoryAnatomy:
"""Respiratory system"""
# Conducting zone
CONDUCTING_ZONE = [
"Nose → Nasal cavity",
"Pharynx → Larynx",
"Trachea → Bronchi",
"Bronchioles → Terminal bronchioles"
]
# Respiratory zone
RESPIRATORY_ZONE = [
"Respiratory bronchioles",
"Alveolar ducts",
"Alveolar sacs"
]
# Lobes and segments
LUNG_SEGMENTS = {
"right_upper": ["apical", "posterior", "anterior"],
"right_middle": ["lateral", "medial"],
"right_lower": ["superior", "medial basal", "anterior basal",
"lateral basal", "posterior basal"],
"left_upper": ["apicoposterior", "anterior", "lingular"],
"left_lower": ["superior", "anteromedial basal",
"lateral basal", "posterior basal"]
}
Digestive System
GI Tract Layers
From lumen outward:
1. Mucosa: epithelium, lamina propria, muscularis mucosae
2. Submucosa: connective tissue, vessels, Meissner's plexus
3. Muscularis externa: circular, longitudinal, Auerbach's plexus
4. Adventitia/Serosa: connective tissue
Accessory Organs
| Organ |
Function |
Duct |
| Liver |
Bile production |
Hepatic → Cystic → Common bile |
| Gallbladder |
Bile storage |
Cystic → Common bile |
| Pancreas |
Digestion + hormones |
Pancreatic → Common |
| Salivary glands |
Digestion |
Various |
Common Errors to Avoid
- Confusing anatomical terms — Anterior vs. posterior
- Wrong muscle origins/insertions — Know functional significance
- Misidentifying foramina — Each has specific contents
- Confusing nerves and vessels — Different anatomical courses
- Ignoring clinical correlations — Anatomy has medical relevance
- Not knowing left vs. right — Anatomical position standard
- Overlooking variations — Normal anatomical variants exist
- Forgetting embryological origins — Explains relationships
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