Why are anatomical terms derived from Greek and Latin?

Anatomical terms primarily come from Greek and Latin because early influential anatomists like Claudius Galen (who used Greek) and Andreas Vesalius (who used Latin) established the foundations of anatomical language, leading to their widespread adoption.

What was the Basle Nomina Anatomica (BNA) and why was it important?

The Basle Nomina Anatomica (BNA) was the first major standardization effort in 1895, which approved about 5000 terms and introduced key rules to reduce inconsistencies, such as using Latin and discouraging eponymous terms.

What were the key rules introduced by the BNA?

The BNA introduced six key rules to standardize terminology: Each part has only one name, terms are in Latin, terms are short and simple, terms serve as memory aids, related terms are consistent (e.g., femoral artery, vein, nerve), and obsolete and eponymous terms are discouraged.

What revisions were made to anatomical nomenclature after the BNA?

After the BNA, key revisions included the Birmingham Revision (BR) in 1933 and the Jena Nomina Anatomica (JNA) in 1935, both focusing on simplification and the use of modern terms.

What is Nomina Anatomica and when was it adopted?

Nomina Anatomica was officially adopted in 1955 at the Sixth International Congress of Anatomists in Paris, serving as the modern standard and including additional lists like Nomina Histologica and Nomina Embryologica.

Who finalized the modern anatomical nomenclature and what organization oversees it?

Roger Warwick finalized the fourth edition of Nomina Anatomica in 1977, and updates are overseen by the International Anatomical Nomenclature Committee (IANC).

Anatomical Nomenclature – Why Terms Are Standardized