Gross anatomy

Gross anatomy

Gross anatomy (also called topographical anatomy) is the study of anatomy at the visible (macroscopic) level.

Contents

Techniques of study[edit]

Gross anatomy is studied using both invasive and noninvasive methods with the goal of obtaining information about the macroscopic structure and organization of organs and organ systems. Among the most common methods of study is dissection, in which the corpse of an animal or a human cadaver is surgically opened and its organs studied. Endoscopy, in which a video camera-equipped instrument is inserted through a small incision in the subject, may be used to explore the internal organs and other structures of living animals. The anatomy of the circulatory system in a living animal may be studied noninvasively via angiography, a technique in which blood vessels are visualized after being injected with an opaque dye. Other means of study include radiological techniques of imaging, such as X-ray and MRI.

In medical and healthcare professional education[edit]

Most doctoral health profession schools, such as medical, Physician Assistant, and dental schools, require that students complete a practical (dissection) course in gross human anatomy. Such courses aim to educate students in basic human anatomy and seek to establish anatomical landmarks that may later be used to aid medical diagnosis. Many schools provide students with cadavers for investigation by dissection, aided by dissection manuals, as well as cadaveric atlases (e.g. Netter's, Rohen's).

Working intimately with a cadaver during a gross anatomy course has been shown to capture the essence of the patient-provider relationship. ^[1] However, the expense of maintaining cadaveric dissection facilities has limited the time and resources available for gross anatomy teaching in many medical schools, with some adopting alternative prosection-based or simulated teaching.^[2] This, coupled with decreasing time dedicated to gross anatomical courses within the growing greater medical school curriculum, has caused controversy surrounding the sufficiency of anatomical teaching with nearly half of newly qualified doctors believing they received insufficient anatomy teaching.^[3]

Medical schools have implemented on-screen anatomical lessons and tutorials to teach students surgical procedures. The use of technological visual aids and gross dissection are more effective together than either approach alone.^[4] Recently, online flashcards and quizzes^[5] have been used as well.

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

References[edit]

Standring, Susan (2008) Gray's Anatomy: The Anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice, 39th Edition

Books[edit]

Atlas of Clinical Gross Anatomy

hide v t e Anatomy and morphology
Fields	Gross anatomy Superficial anatomy Neuroanatomy Comparative anatomy Transcendental anatomy Microscopic anatomy histology molecular
Bacteria	Bacterial cell structure
Protists	Level of organization Structures
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Other vertebrates	Bird anatomy Fish anatomy Shark anatomy
Other topics	Allometry Brain morphometry Morphometrics Physiognomy
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