From the Guidelines
Anatomy is the scientific study of the structure and organization of living organisms, particularly the human body, and it is essential for healthcare professionals to have a thorough knowledge of it to understand how the body functions in both healthy and diseased states. This knowledge includes understanding the normal cardiac and extracardiac arterial anatomy and its variations, as well as the anatomy and physiology of surgical and congenital shunts and baffles 1. It involves examining the physical components of the body, including organs, tissues, cells, and their relationships to one another. Anatomy can be divided into several branches:
- gross anatomy (studying structures visible to the naked eye)
- microscopic anatomy (examining tissues and cells under a microscope)
- developmental anatomy (focusing on how organisms develop)
- comparative anatomy (analyzing similarities and differences between species). Understanding anatomy is fundamental to medical science as it provides the foundation for diagnosing diseases, performing surgical procedures, and developing effective treatments 1. Healthcare professionals must have a thorough knowledge of anatomy to understand how the body functions in both healthy and diseased states, and this knowledge allows them to identify abnormalities, understand the effects of injuries or illnesses, and determine appropriate interventions to restore normal function. In the context of interventional cardiology, a thorough knowledge of anatomy is crucial for determining the relative success and complication rates of procedures, such as coronary interventions, peripheral vascular interventions, and structural heart interventions 1.
From the Research
Definition of Anatomy
- Anatomy is the science that deals with morphology, in both non-living and living organisms or any of their parts, from the submolecular level to man and his environment 2.
- It correlates structure to function in the study of physiopathologic phenomena as applied to the practice of medicine and related medical or health fields 2.
Scope of Anatomy
- Anatomists seek morphological values and study human biological universality and variation in individuals and in populations at all levels of structure, ranging from macroscopy of organic systems, their arrangement, interaction and combination, to the microscopy of subcellular components 2.
- Anatomy expresses the harmonious combination of form and function, and can be considered as both an art and a science 2.
Related Fields of Study
- The study of anatomy is related to other fields such as neuroscience, where the anatomy of the brain and nervous system is studied 3.
- Anatomy is also related to the study of cell mechanics, where the mechanical properties of cells are investigated 4.
- Additionally, anatomy is relevant to the study of aging and cognitive function, where the anatomy of the brain and blood vessels is studied in relation to aging and cognitive decline 5.
Medical Applications
- Anatomy has various medical applications, including the treatment of anemia associated with myelodysplastic syndrome with ring sideroblasts 6.