<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>In science and medicine, terminology is a precise system of terms that are generally accepted in a given discipline. In anatomy, it is important to distinguish between terminology and nomenclature, which is an officially accepted set of terms arranged according to certain rules and principles. The Terminologia Anatomica (1998) has been the golden standard in the field of terminology, even though it contains minor errors, inaccuracies, discrepancies, multiplication of terms, inconvenient terms as well as synonyms and identical names for different structures. All of these problems need to be solved in the future, which is a key cchallenge in the field. Another major challenge is to create a clear, precise, logical, flawless and worldwide accepted list of anatomical terms that would cover all the names that are used in education and clinical practice. Many researchers and clinicians assert that this task is still ahead of us. The aim of this article is to explain why the longstanding tradition of medical terminology should be respected and why major and rapid changes should never be endorsed. Anatomical terminology, if correctly used, is a basic tool of communication both within and outside the field. It is also a guide through the intricacies of the human anatomy.</p>
</abstract>

In science and medicine, terminology is a precise system of terms that are generally accepted in a given discipline. In anatomy, it is important to distinguish between terminology and nomenclature, which is an officially accepted set of terms arranged according to certain rules and principles. The Terminologia Anatomica (1998) has been the golden standard in the field of terminology, even though it contains minor errors, inaccuracies, discrepancies, multiplication of terms, inconvenient terms as well as synonyms and identical names for different structures. All of these problems need to be solved in the future, which is a key cchallenge in the field. Another major challenge is to create a clear, precise, logical, flawless and worldwide accepted list of anatomical terms that would cover all the names that are used in education and clinical practice. Many researchers and clinicians assert that this task is still ahead of us. The aim of this article is to explain why the longstanding tradition of medical terminology should be respected and why major and rapid changes should never be endorsed. Anatomical terminology, if correctly used, is a basic tool of communication both within and outside the field. It is also a guide through the intricacies of the human anatomy.

Anatomical and medical terminology: new challenges and perspectives

Medical Journal of Cell Biology

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

{"article-title":"Anatomical and medical terminology: new challenges and perspectives"}

In science and medicine, terminology is a precise system of terms that are generally accepted in a given discipline. In anatomy, it is important to distinguish...

Anatomical and medical terminology: new challenges and perspectives

Published Online: Dec 31, 2022

Page range: 102 - 107

Received: Nov 12, 2022

Accepted: Nov 29, 2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/acb-2022-0016

Keywords
anatomical terminology, anatomical nomenclature, medical terminology, scientific terminology, history, anatomy, medicine

© 2022 Piotr Paweł Chmielewski, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Anatomical and medical terminology: new challenges and perspectives

Published Online: Dec 31, 2022

Page range: 102 - 107

Received: Nov 12, 2022

Accepted: Nov 29, 2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/acb-2022-0016

Keywordsanatomical terminology, anatomical nomenclature, medical terminology, scientific terminology, history, anatomy, medicine

© 2022 Piotr Paweł Chmielewski, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Keywords
anatomical terminology, anatomical nomenclature, medical terminology, scientific terminology, history, anatomy, medicine