Misleading Latin/English equivalents for some liver terms in Terminologia Anatomica

Contributions to the development of an anatomical terminology in Spanish from South America

The development of a standard anatomical language in Spanish dates back to the early stages of medicine, and its significance lies in the necessity for a common vocabulary to describe the structures of the human body. Anatomists and morphologists have been striving to achieve this goal since the late nineteenth century when the first Anatomical Nomenclature was created in Basel in 1895. Over the years, various versions of the International Anatomical Terminology have been published in Spanish, following the guidelines of the International Federation of Associations of Anatomists (IFAA). These versions have been produced in partnership with the Spanish Anatomical Society and have aimed to adjust the terms to the Spanish language and linguistic rules. The Ibero-Latin American Symposia on Anatomical, Histological, and Embryological Terminology (SILAT) have embraced the naming of morphological structures, keeping in mind the Latin and Greek roots, while respecting the translations accepted by the linguistic rules of the official languages. These symposia stick to the principles of universality, precision in structure description, and consistency in terminology. Despite more than a century of progress in anatomical terminology, there is a need for frequent revisions and adjustments to anatomical terms, particularly when translating them into various languages and because of the high number of international publications related to anatomy. A shared anatomical language is essential for the study and application of anatomy across various medical practices and in undergraduate education. Finally, the establishment of anatomical terminology in Spanish represents a long history of efforts to create a universal and precise language in this field. Despite advancements, the revision and adaptation of anatomical terms remain a continuous challenge to keep up with scientific progress and ensure effective communication in the field of anatomy.

A plea for an extension of the anatomical nomenclature: Organ systems

This article is the third part of a series aimed at correcting and extending the anatomical nomenclature. Communication in clinical medicine as well as in medical education is extensively composed of anatomical, histological, and embryological terms. Thus, to avoid any confusion, it is essential to have a concise, exact, perfect and correct anatomical nomenclature. The Terminologia Anatomica (TA) was published 20 years ago and during this period several revisions have been made. Nevertheless, some important anatomical structures are still not included in the nomenclature. Here we list a collection of 156 defined and explained technical terms related to the anatomical structures of the human body focusing on the digestive, respiratory, urinary and genital systems. These terms are set for discussion to be added into the new version of the TA.

Right/left symmetry of the intrahepatic distribution and terminology of the hepatic artery proper and the intrahepatic bile duct system: proposals to revise the Terminologia Anatomica

Anatomical terminology is the foundation of medical terminology and it is important that doctors and scientists throughout the world use the same name for each structure. It is also important that the anatomical terms for a specific anatomical structure are presented in a logical order. To eliminate confusion, it is crucial that the same name is not attributed to two or more anatomical elements. However, the term artery of caudate lobe is used for two distinct anatomic elements with different origins (right/left branch of hepatic proper artery). Also, I draw attention to the incorrect positioning of right/left duct of caudate lobe in the description of terms homologated for the intrahepatic bile duct system. These proposals to amend the terminology in the liver anatomy are a necessary step in the evolution of the Terminologia Anatomica.