Exploring the uncharted: Missing anatomical names in the Terminologia Anatomica

Abstract

AbstractEffective communication and precise navigation within the intricacies of the human body rely on robust anatomical terminology. Since its creation by the Federative Committee on Anatomical Terminology (FCAT), the Terminologia Anatomica (TA 1998) has consistently served as the benchmark in the field. However, the constant advancement of anatomical knowledge requires regular revisions, updates, and enhancements of anatomical nomenclature to accommodate the latest scientific discoveries. The recent adoption of the second edition of Terminologia Anatomica (TA 2019) by the International Federation of Associations of Anatomists (IFAA) has drawn attention to certain notable omissions. Despite over a century of dedicated work establishing standard anatomical terminology, specific widely recognized gross anatomical structures are still absent from the official listing in the Terminologia Anatomica. There is, however, a consensus that the inclusion of names for trivial or variably present structures should be avoided. Accordingly, this article focuses on a thoughtfully selected group of anatomical structures, which are so important that they are routinely discussed during anatomy courses, despite their exclusion from the official lists of anatomical terms. These basic structures hold fundamental importance for both anatomy education and clinical practice. Consequently, their appropriate nomenclature warrants consideration for inclusion in future editions of TA.