Can AnatomicalTerms.info with its synonyms and succinct open definitions be a solution to address variations in usage of anatomical terminology?

Anatomical Science International, vol. 99, pp. 378–386

Abstract

Anatomy, the study of human structure, is foundational to medicine. Its language has a long history, with contributions from authors hailing from diverse cultures and countries, adhering to various scientific traditions, speaking different languages, and practicing medicine across a wide gamut of specialties. The resultant disparity in terms provides challenges both for students in learning and for interdisciplinary communication. We report here on a user-friendly look-up web site, "AnatomicalTerms.info" that links a Terminologica Anatomica term to alternative terms in usage: synonyms, polysemes, eponyms, homonyms, and terms in other languages. Accompanying open-source definitions are generated with the help of "Definition Machine" software, that supports creating the most concise and accessible definitions for anatomical terms, eschewing superfluous description, thus reducing cognitive load of learners of anatomy looking up terms. AnatomicalTerms.info is a readily accessible online source for both the authoritative and alternatively used terms that can accurately cross-reference and/or disambiguate anatomical structures across disciplinary and cultural divides. As such, it can serve as a useful educational and clinical resource that is also flexibly open to additions and expansion as anatomical and clinical needs dictate.

Authors 5

1. O. Paul Gobée corresponding Aachen Department of Anatomy and Embryology

   Leiden University Medical Center

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, 9600, 2300, RC, Leiden, The Netherlands. o.p.gobee@lumc.nl

   Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands. o.p.gobee@lumc.nl

   Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands

2. Sara Sulaiman

   Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland - Bahrain

   Affiliation as printed

   School of Medicine, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland Medical University of Bahrain, Busaiteen, Kingdom of Bahrain

3. Noel T. Boaz corresponding

   Virginia Museum of Natural History · Integrative Centers for Science and Medicine

   Affiliation as printed

   Laboratory of Biological Anthropology and Anatomy, Integrative Centers for Science and Medicine and Virginia Museum of Natural History, Starling Avenue, Martinsville, VA, 24112, USA

4. Amy Lovejoy Mork

   Morehouse School of Medicine

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Pathology and Anatomy, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30310, USA

5. Ian Whitmore

   Stanford Medicine · Stanford University

   Affiliation as printed

   Division of Clinical Anatomy, Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA