Description and nomenclature of organ subdivisions in the Terminologia Anatomica and in anatomical education: Comparison with cancer classifications

TY - JOUR

T1 - Description and nomenclature of organ subdivisions in the Terminologia Anatomica and in anatomical education: Comparison with cancer classifications

AU - Gocht, Andreas

AU - Schumacher, Udo

N1 - Viewpoint

PY - 2023/3

Y1 - 2023/3

N2 - Terminology is the basis for communication among medical professionals. For anatomists, their daily work is based on the Terminologia Anatomica (TA), while pathologists cite the Tumor Node Metastasis (TNM) classification when referring to the anatomical boundaries and regions of malignant tumors. Terminologia Anatomica and clinical-based classifications, including the TMN classification of tumors, use a world-wide standardized nomenclature, which has been revised regularly to incorporate new anatomical discoveries and clinically relevant structures. In medical education, students are familiarized with medical nomenclatures in anatomy textbooks and online learning platforms. Sometime, descriptions and illustrations in anatomy teaching materials put a different focus on the importance of anatomical subdivisions and their borders than is found in cancer classifications. This discrepancy contrasts with the efforts of medical societies to define and implement clinically relevant anatomical structures, including organ subdivisions and their boundaries, in daily clinical practice. Here, we illustrate this problem using the larynx and pancreas as examples. Anatomy education should coordinate teaching content with the requirements of the clinical disciplines.

AB - Terminology is the basis for communication among medical professionals. For anatomists, their daily work is based on the Terminologia Anatomica (TA), while pathologists cite the Tumor Node Metastasis (TNM) classification when referring to the anatomical boundaries and regions of malignant tumors. Terminologia Anatomica and clinical-based classifications, including the TMN classification of tumors, use a world-wide standardized nomenclature, which has been revised regularly to incorporate new anatomical discoveries and clinically relevant structures. In medical education, students are familiarized with medical nomenclatures in anatomy textbooks and online learning platforms. Sometime, descriptions and illustrations in anatomy teaching materials put a different focus on the importance of anatomical subdivisions and their borders than is found in cancer classifications. This discrepancy contrasts with the efforts of medical societies to define and implement clinically relevant anatomical structures, including organ subdivisions and their boundaries, in daily clinical practice. Here, we illustrate this problem using the larynx and pancreas as examples. Anatomy education should coordinate teaching content with the requirements of the clinical disciplines.

U2 - 10.1002/ca.23992

DO - 10.1002/ca.23992

M3 - Comment/debate

C2 - 36514877

VL - 36

SP - 315

EP - 319

JO - CLIN ANAT

JF - CLIN ANAT

SN - 0897-3806

IS - 2

ER -