Items tagged “anatomy”

The scrotum (plural: scrota or scrotums) is a dual-chambered protuberance of skin and muscle that contains the testes, epididymides, and spermatic cord. It consists of two chambers separated by a septum. It is an extension of the perineum and is located between the penis and anus. Gross anatomy...

The testes (singular: testis), also known as the testicles, are the male gonads and are contained within the scrotum. The testes are responsible for the production of sperm and testosterone. Terminology The term testis (plural testes) is preferred by the Terminologia Anatomica, over testicle. ...

The epididymis (plural: epididymides) is situated adjacent to the testis within the scrotal sac. Its primary function is the collection, maturation and transport of sperm via the ductus deferens. Gross anatomy The epididymis is an elongated structure, posterolateral to the testis. It can be su...

Anatomy articles require a different structure, and the following subheadings are recommended. ======================================================================= As with all other articles, the introductory paragraph should introduce the anatomical term and aim to give an interesting summ...

The fabella (plural fabellae 5) is an accessory ossicle that is almost always found in the lateral head of the gastrocnemius although rarely it can occur in the medial head of gastrocnemius 4. It occurs in ~20% (range 10-30%) of the population 1.  The fabella can also be fibrocartilaginous in n...

A useful mnemonic to remember which organs are retroperitoneal is: SAD PUCKER Mnemonic S: suprarenal (adrenal) gland A: aorta/IVC D: duodenum (second, third and fourth parts) P: pancreas (except tail) U: ureters C: colon (ascending and descending) K: kidneys E: (o)esophagus R: rectum

A mnemonic for the boundaries of the femoral triangle is: SAIL This should be easy to remember because the femoral triangle is shaped like a sail.  Mnemonic S: sartorius A: adductor longus IL: inguinal ligament

A useful mnemonic to remember the branches of the internal iliac artery is: I Love Going Places In My Very Own Underwear! Mnemonic I: iliolumbar artery L: lateral sacral artery G: gluteal (superior and inferior) arteries P: (internal) pudendal artery I: inferior vesical (vaginal in female...

High-quality medical illustrations and diagrams form an important part of Radiopaedia.org.  Attribution All illustrations should have appropriate attribution in the case findings. We strongly favor original illustrations. This makes Radiopaedia unique and contributes to what is available for...

A supra-acetabular fossa, also known as pseudodefect of acetabular cartilage, is an anatomic variant whereby a focal defect is evident within the subchondral bone of the acetabular roof. It is seen in as many as 10% of hips and is typically located at the 12 o'clock position both in the coronal ...

The brachial plexus is a complex neural network formed by lower cervical and upper thoracic ventral nerve roots which supplies motor and sensory innervation to the upper limb and pectoral girdle. It is located in the neck extending into the axilla posterior to the clavicle. Summary origin: ven...

Prosencephalon (plural: prosencephala or prosencephalons) or forebrain is one of the primary divisions of neural tube.  Later the forebrain further separates into the telencephalon (cerebrum) and diencephalon (thalamus and related structures). At about 8 weeks of intrauterine life, the prosenc...

The coronal suture is the cranial suture formed between the two parietal bones and the frontal bone. At the junction of coronal, sagittal and frontal sutures, the anterior fontanelle is located which is open at birth and usually fuses at around 18-24 months after birth. The junction of the coron...

The clavicle, also colloquially known as the collarbone, is the only bone connecting the pectoral girdle to the axial skeleton and is the only long bone that lies horizontally in the human skeleton.  Gross anatomy Osteology The clavicle is roughly "S-shaped" with a flattened, concave, lateral...

Supernumerary kidneys, also known as accessory kidneys, are a rare congenital anomaly of the urogenital system, where there are one or two additional kidneys. Epidemiology Less than 100 cases have been documented in the medical literature. Associations Many conditions have been found to be a...

The male urethra is a fibromuscular tube that drains urine from the bladder. It has a longer, more complicated, course than the female urethra and is also more prone to pathology. Gross anatomy The male urethra measures, on average, 18-20 cm in length. It commences at the internal urethral ori...

The left ventricle is one of four heart chambers. It receives oxygenated blood from the left atrium and pumps it into the systemic circulation via the aorta. Gross anatomy The left ventricle is conical in shape with an anteroinferiorly projecting apex and is longer with thicker walls than the ...

The cardiac plexus is a network of autonomic nerves and ganglia situated at the base of the heart. It is formed by cardiac branches derived from both the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. Gross anatomy Parasympathetic cardiac nerves reach the heart from the vagus nerve (cranial ...

The intercostal nerves are the somatic nerves that arise from the anterior divisions of the thoracic spinal nerves from T1 to T11. These nerves in addition to supplying the thoracic wall also supply the pleura and peritoneum. Gross anatomy Intercostal nerves can be divided into atypical and ty...

The superior mediastinum is an artificially divided wedge-shaped compartment of the mediastinum located between the thoracic plane inferiorly and the thoracic inlet superiorly. The inferior mediastinum, comprising of the anterior, middle, and posterior parts, lies inferiorly. Gross anatomy Bou...