Barts and The London, School of Medicine and Dentistry
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GMC Domains

TD 8: APPLICATION OF BIOMEDICAL SCIENTIFIC PRINCIPLES, METHOD AND KNOWLEDGE: Medical knowledge: ANATOMY (TD 8.1)

Introduction

Anatomy is a branch of biology and medicine that is the consideration of the structure of living things. Anatomy is subdivided into gross anatomy (or macroscopic anatomy) and microscopic anatomy. Gross anatomy is the study of anatomical structures that can be seen by unaided vision with the naked eye. Microscopic anatomy is the study of minute anatomical structures assisted with microscopes, which includes histology (the study of the organisation of tissues), and cytology (the study of cells).

The history of anatomy has been characterised, over time, by a continually developing understanding of the functions of organs and structures in the body. Methods have also improved dramatically, advancing from examination of animals through dissection of cadavers to technologically complex techniques developed in the 20th century including X-ray, ultrasound, and MRI imaging.

Anatomy should not be confused with anatomical pathology (also called morbid anatomy or histopathology), which is the study of the gross and microscopic appearances of diseased organs.

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