Terminologia Anatomica Research Articles

EXAMINATION OF "DENS" TERMS USED INDEPENDENTLY OF TOOTH STRUCTURE IN THE ANATOMY LITERATURE

OBJECTIVE: EThe word "dens", which is used as an anatomy term, is often used beyond its primary meaning of "tooth." In this study, it is aimed to examine the Latin terminology of dens terms used in contexts other than its original meaning and to determine their Turkish equivalents. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The current literature on Terminologia Anatomica and other anatomical terminology was reviewed, and the terms "dens", which were used beyond their literal meaning, were determined. The obtained “dens” terms; were evaluated in terms of origin, grade and shape. The similarities and differences between the word "dens" within anatomy terminology and the anatomical structure of the tooth were determined. RESULTS: As a result of scanning current anatomy resources, 23 "dens" words that were used outside of their original meaning were identified. It is seen that 15 of the identified "Dens" words are used in terms with an adjective structure. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we provide information about the conjugation of the word "dens" used in anatomy terms and the terms used together, and we believe that the word dens will be understood more clearly by educators and students. In addition, we think that this study will be a guide for the studies to be carried out on terminology in Turkey.

Terminologia Anatomica 2nd edition: perspectives from anatomy educators in the United Kingdom.

English anatomical terminology has evolved over the long history of anatomical practice, with major influences from ancient Greek, classical Latin, Arabic, and post-classical Latin. Beginning in the nineteenth century, there have been various attempts to standardise and rationalise anatomical language, beginning in 1887, and culminating in the publication in 2019 of the second edition of the Terminologia Anatomica. This paper presents a brief historical overview of the development of anatomical terminology and usage in English, followed by a summary of the results of an anonymised survey of current practices that was sent out by email to anatomy educators at 45 medical schools in the United Kingdom. This is followed by personal reflections by six senior academics and/or clinicians, reviewing their extensive experience of teaching, researching, and communicating the language of anatomy within United Kingdom medical and clinical institutions.

Terminologia Anatomica in Latin-American countries: a systematic review.

Terminologia Anatomica (TA) is a unique collection of technical terms that allow communication in anatomy and medicine around the world. Considering this, we reviewed articles published by Latin American authors on Terminologia Anatomica and synthesized the main results found in this article. This study is a systematic review about Terminologia Anatomica that focuses on non-English-speaking countries in Latin America. The database used was Scopus via Elsevier. 207, and candidate articles were identified after applying the search strategy and with no restriction of year of publication. After the exclusion of articles whose authorship was not Latin American, 68 articles were filtered based on their titles and abstracts without the exclusion of any of them. These articles were fully evaluated resulting in 66 articles that met all the inclusion criteria of this review. We collected the following data: title of the article, year of publication, journal of publication, keywords of the study, country of origin, and aim of the article. Among the analyzed articles, 22 proposed changes to terms present in Terminologia Anatomica, 15 of them proposed the inclusion of terms for Terminologia Anatomica, and several articles sought to explain the existence of the existing terms. It is necessary to analyze the terms that are and their origins in the Latin America languages to evaluate their coherence and anatomical correspondence. A standard descriptor for Terminologia Anatomica was not obtained and it is a limitation since eventual articles may not have been obtained. As the study evaluates only articles that were published in journals indexed in Scopus, some articles published in non-indexed journals were not included.

INVESTIGATION OF THE ADJECTIVES IN TERMINOLOGIA ANATOMICA, IN TERMS RELATED TO THE NERVOUS SYSTEM AND SENSE ORGANS

ABSTRACT Aim: Effective and correct use of terminology in anatomy education and other medical sciences is very important for healthy communication between scientists. Due to the low number of scientific studies on both medical and anatomical terminology, this study was conducted to help increase the existing knowledge in this field. Material and Method: Terminologia Anatomica, published by Thieme in 1998, was used in the study. Results: A total of 2431 terms related to the nervous system and sensory organs were analyzed, and a total of 625 different adjectives within these terms were evaluated in terms of origin, degree and form and classified into classes. A total of 492 different adjectives were included in the 1924 terms under the title of nervous system. There are 133 different adjectives in 507 terms under the title of sense organs. There are a total of 2753 adjectives in both sections we have analyzed, together with the number of repetitions. It was observed that most of these adjectives were of Latin origin, two-shaped and had a gradus positivus degree of comparison. Discussion: The data we obtained as a result of this study revealed the distribution and characteristics of adjectives in terms of origin, degree and form within the terminology. We think that our study will contribute to the development of medical terminology and will also help make the anatomy course more understandable and memorable for students.

Hundreds of body parts are named after hair: is anatomical terminology supercilious or simply super silly?

Relatively more-apparent body parts are often used to name relatively less-apparent body parts. To explore this etymological phenomenon, this report assesses anatomical terminology derived from some of the most apparent structures of the human body-hairs. Hair-related anatomical terminology involves varied etymons, roots, and derivatives: calvus "bald," cilia "eyelashes," glaber "hairless," pilus "hair," pubes (historically referring to the developing beard), pudendum "modesty" (referring to hair growth that covers genitalia), tempus "time" (referring to the location where hair commonly grays, thus showing a person's age), and tragus "goat" (referring to the tuft of hair that resembles the beard of a goat). Also including lanugo, vibrissae, hirci, flocculus, and cauda equina, a systematic review of Terminologia Anatomica and Terminologia Neuroanatomica revealed 285 unique non-duplicate hair-related terms. Several anatomical terms allude to particular age groups or sexes, but are used indiscriminately (e.g., tragus alludes to the older male ear, though may describe the fetal female ear). Likewise, human-centric anatomical terminology influences non-human anatomical terminology- a turtle has a "temporal bone" only because some humans develop gray hair on the sides of their heads as they age. Accordingly, etymological recursion is common: The human ear has a tragus, named after the goat, and the goat ear has a tragus, named after the human tragus, that was named after the goat. The use of Latin as the foundation of anatomical and medical terminology may appear seriously supercilious; however, it is often simply super silly. After all, hundreds of body parts are formally named after hair.

TA2Viewer: A web-based browser for Terminologia Anatomica and online anatomical knowledge.

TA2Viewer is an open-access, web-based application and database for browsing anatomical terms and associated medical information on a computer or mobile device (https://ta2viewer.openanatomy.org/). It incorporates the official digital version of the second edition of Terminologia Anatomica (TA2) as published by the Federative International Programme for Anatomical Terminology (FIPAT), and adopted by the International Federation of Associations of Anatomists (IFAA) and other associations. It provides a dynamic and interactive view of the Latin and English nomenclatures. The organizational hierarchy of the terminology can be navigated by using a scrollable, expandable, and collapsible structured listing. Interactive search includes the official TA2 terms, synonyms, and related terms. TA2Viewer also uses TA2 term information to provide convenient access to other online resources, including Google web and image searches, PubMed, and Radiopaedia. Using cross-references from Wikidata, which were provided by the Wikipedia community, TA2Viewer offers links to Wikipedia, UBERON, UMLS, FMA, MeSH, NeuroNames, the public domain 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy, and other data sources. In addition, it can optionally use unofficial synonyms from Wikidata to provide multilingual term searches in hundreds of languages. By leveraging TA2, TA2Viewer provides free access to a curated anatomical nomenclature and serves as an index of online anatomical knowledge.

Towards a Terminologia Anatomica Humana.

Unfortunately, the long-awaited revision of the official anatomical nomenclature, the Terminologia Anatomica 2 (TA2), which was issued in 2019 and after a referendum among the Member Societies officially approved by the General Assembly of the International Federation of Associations of Anatomists in 2020, is built on a new version of the Regular Anatomical Terminology (RAT) rules. This breaks with many traditional views of terminology. These changes in the Terminologia Anatomica of 1998 (TA98) met great resistance within many European Anatomical Societies and their members are not willing to use terms following the RAT rules. European anatomy teachers and scientists using traditional Latin in their teaching, textbooks and atlases will keep using the TA98. The German Anatomical Society (Anatomische Gesellschaft) recently announced the usage of the TA2023AG in curricular anatomical media such as textbooks and atlases, based on the TA98 and the Terminologia Neuroanatomica (TNA). We are preparing a more extensive improvement of the TA98, called Terminologia Anatomica Humana (TAH). This project is fully based on the noncontroversial terms of TA98, incorporating the recent digital version (2022) of the TNA from 2017. Further, it is completed with many new terms, including those in TA2, along with their definitions and relevant references, clinical terms, and correcting inconsistencies in the TA98. The TAH is still in process, but many chapters are already freely available at the IFAA Website in Fribourg ( https://ifaa.unifr.ch ) as is the digital version of the TNA.

Teaching anatomical terminology: effective learning strategies in medical education

Abstract All healthcare professionals have to master the extensive anatomical terminology, which is an indispensable tool in communication. The Terminologia Anatomica Nomina Anatomica, is a particularly useful tool for effective communication among anatomists and specialists beyond the field, both within a medical context and the broader scientific discourse. The inaugural edition of the Terminologia Anatomica, which was issued in 1998 by the Federative Committee on Anatomical Terminology, gained widespread international recognition. Nevertheless, many authors believe that precise definitions and valid names for the parts and segments of the anatomical structures that are clinically and didactically useful should be incorporated in future editions of anatomical nomenclature. Thus, refining and extending the Terminologia Anatomica remains a challenging task for future generations of anatomists. Simultaneously, the intricate nature of anatomical nomenclature poses a major challenge, as learning, remembering, and understanding the complex terminology is a difficult task, especially for first-year medical students and newcomers to the field, emphasizing the need to simplify the anatomical language. The purpose of this article is to explore specific strategies designed to elevate the educational experience of medical students as they endeavor to master human gross anatomy and its terminology.

Intervertebral Canals and Intracanal Ligaments as New Terms in Terminologia anatomica.

This study addresses the cervical part of the vertebral column. Clinical pictures of dystrophic diseases of the cervical part of the vertebral column do not always correspond only to the morphological changes-they may be represented by connective tissue formation and nerve and vessel compression. To find out the possible reason, this morphometric study of the cervical part of the vertebral column in 40 cadavers was performed. CT scans were performed on 17 cadaveric material specimens. A total of 12 histological samples of connective tissue structures located in intervertebral canals (IC) were studied. One such formation, an intracanal ligament (IL) located in the IC, was found. Today, there is no term "intervertebral canal", nor is there a detailed description of the intervertebral canal in the cervical part of the vertebral column. Cervical intervertebral canals make up five pairs in segments C2-C7. On cadavers, the IC lateral and medial apertures were 0.9-1.5 cm and 0.5-0.9 cm, correspondingly. According to our histological study, the connective tissue structures in the IC are ligaments-IL. According to the presence of these ligaments, ICs were classified into three types. Complete regional anatomy characterization of the IC of the cervical part of the vertebral column with a description of its constituent anatomical elements was provided. The findings demonstrate the need to include the terms "intervertebral canal" and "intervertebral ligament" in the Terminologia anatomica.

Exploring the uncharted: Missing anatomical names in the Terminologia Anatomica.

Effective communication and precise navigation within the intricacies of the human body rely on robust anatomical terminology. Since its creation by the Federative Committee on Anatomical Terminology (FCAT), the Terminologia Anatomica (TA 1998) has consistently served as the benchmark in the field. However, the constant advancement of anatomical knowledge requires regular revisions, updates, and enhancements of anatomical nomenclature to accommodate the latest scientific discoveries. The recent adoption of the second edition of Terminologia Anatomica (TA 2019) by the International Federation of Associations of Anatomists (IFAA) has drawn attention to certain notable omissions. Despite over a century of dedicated work establishing standard anatomical terminology, specific widely recognized gross anatomical structures are still absent from the official listing in the Terminologia Anatomica. There is, however, a consensus that the inclusion of names for trivial or variably present structures should be avoided. Accordingly, this article focuses on a thoughtfully selected group of anatomical structures, which are so important that they are routinely discussed during anatomy courses, despite their exclusion from the official lists of anatomical terms.These basic structures hold fundamental importance for both anatomy education and clinical practice. Consequently, their appropriate nomenclature warrants consideration for inclusion in future editions of TA.

The superior vesical artery: A review of conflicting definitions and how these could affect invasive procedures.

Since the superior umbilical artery is the only functioning branch of the patent umbilical artery, some anatomical and surgical books/atlases fail to clarify that it is a branch of the umbilical artery and not a direct branch of the anterior division of the internal iliac artery and so specifically state that it is a direct branch of the internal iliac artery. This discrepancy in nomenclature can obviously affect invasive procedures and communication between physicians. Therefore, the present review is intended to highlight this issue. The term "superior vesical artery" was searched using standard search engines, for example, PubMed and Google Scholar. Several standard and specialized anatomy textbooks were also examined to ascertain how the superior vesical artery was described. Thirty-two articles were identified that used the terms "superior vesical artery" or "superior vesical arteries." After applying exclusion criteria, in 28 papers, the definition of the superior vesical artery was undetermined in eight, described as a direct branch of the internal iliac artery in 13, described as a branch of the umbilical artery in six, and defined as being equivalent to the umbilical artery in one. Of the sampled textbooks, some defined the superior vesicle artery as a branch of the umbilical artery, some as a direct branch of the internal iliac artery and some as both. Taken all together, most define the superior vesical artery as a branch of the umbilical artery. As the superior vesical artery is described as a branch of the umbilical artery in the internationally accepted terminology (Terminologia Anatomica), we recommend that this definition be used by anatomists and physicians alike so that communication is clear.

Description and nomenclature of organ subdivisions in the Terminologia Anatomica and in anatomical education: Comparison with cancer classifications.

Terminology is the basis for communication among medical professionals. For anatomists, their daily work is based on the Terminologia Anatomica (TA), while pathologists cite the Tumor Node Metastasis (TNM) classification when referring to the anatomical boundaries and regions of malignant tumors. Terminologia Anatomica and clinical-based classifications, including the TMN classification of tumors, use a world-wide standardized nomenclature, which has been revised regularly to incorporate new anatomical discoveries and clinically relevant structures. In medical education, students are familiarized with medical nomenclatures in anatomy textbooks and online learning platforms. Sometime, descriptions and illustrations in anatomy teaching materials put a different focus on the importance of anatomical subdivisions and their borders than is found in cancer classifications. This discrepancy contrasts with the efforts of medical societies to define and implement clinically relevant anatomical structures, including organ subdivisions and their boundaries, in daily clinical practice. Here, we illustrate this problem using the larynx and pancreas as examples. Anatomy education should coordinate teaching content with the requirements of the clinical disciplines.

Anatomical and medical terminology: new challenges and perspectives

Abstract In science and medicine, terminology is a precise system of terms that are generally accepted in a given discipline. In anatomy, it is important to distinguish between terminology and nomenclature, which is an officially accepted set of terms arranged according to certain rules and principles. The Terminologia Anatomica (1998) has been the golden standard in the field of terminology, even though it contains minor errors, inaccuracies, discrepancies, multiplication of terms, inconvenient terms as well as synonyms and identical names for different structures. All of these problems need to be solved in the future, which is a key cchallenge in the field. Another major challenge is to create a clear, precise, logical, flawless and worldwide accepted list of anatomical terms that would cover all the names that are used in education and clinical practice. Many researchers and clinicians assert that this task is still ahead of us. The aim of this article is to explain why the longstanding tradition of medical terminology should be respected and why major and rapid changes should never be endorsed. Anatomical terminology, if correctly used, is a basic tool of communication both within and outside the field. It is also a guide through the intricacies of the human anatomy.

Lateral branches of the facial artery and its clinical implications.

The facial artery is the main artery supplying blood to the face and is known to have facial branches of the inferior labial, superior labial, lateral nasal and angular arteries. These known major branches of facial artery run medially, however, there are sometimes branches of the facial artery heading laterally. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the lateral branches of the facial artery in face. We dissected facial branches of the facial artery in 74 cadaveric hemifaces. We investigated the presence of the lateral branches of the facial artery. Following parameters were investigated: lateral branch presence, the location of its origin, and the lateral branch diameter. Among the lateral branches, we evaluated the prevalence and diameter of the premasseteric branch. Lateral branches were observed in 48 of the 74 hemifaces (64.9%). The total number was 81 in the 48 hemifaces. The most common origin was between the inferior border of the mandible and inferior labial artery origin (42 of 81, 51.9%). The mean diameter of all lateral branches of the facial artery was 0.7 mm. Among the lateral branches, the premasseteric branches were present in 38 of 74 specimen (51.4%) and the mean diameter was 0.8 mm. The lateral branches of the facial artery may be registered in Terminologia Anatomica based on their prevalence. Accurate knowledge of the anatomy of the lateral branches of the facial artery is helpful for clinicians to avoid complications during facial procedures or maxillofacial surgeries.

Reappraisal on the Superficial Fascia in the Subcutaneous Tissue: Ultrasound and Histological Images Speaking Louder Than Words.

Nowadays, the concept of subdivisions pertaining to the subcutaneous tissue layers is more or less clear in (plastic and reconstructive) surgery, as it is for physicians who are experienced in (ultrasound) imaging. There is still some confusion in the terminology, and debate still seems to persist with regard to anatomy. Indeed, in the Terminologia Anatomica, published by the Federative Committee on Anatomical Termi,1 the superficial fascia (or fascia superficialis or tela subcutanea or membranous layer) is reported to consist of variable amounts of fatty and membranous components in all regions of the body. In addition, terminology such as “stratum musculosum” or “muscle layer” is maintained, despite the absence of any histological characteristics of a muscle. This causes confusion among various physicians and researchers. It therefore behooves our scientific societies to address this issue. In other words, the lack of consistency calls for consensus. Our fresh cadaver dissections, layer by layer, revealed that the subcutaneous tissue is divided (by a fibrous lamina) into sublayers, each with distinct features. The superficial one is referred as “superficial adipose tissue,” the deep one as “deep adipose tissue,” and the fibrous lamina in the middle as “superficial fascia.” The superficial fascia is connected to the skin (retinaculum cutis superficialis) and to the deep fascia (retinaculum cutis profundus) by fibrous septa, which impart specific mechanical properties to the subcutis.2 These findings were also confirmed by imaging and histological examination (Fig. 1). It is also evident that the subcutis is clearly structured, with specific features that differ according to the body region.Fig. 1.: (Left) Ultrasound image of the superficial fascia in the subcutaneous tissue of the abdomen. (Center) Histological specimen fixed in formalin and (right) the histological image (Weigert Van Gieson staining) show the organization of the superficial fascia in the subcutaneous tissue. SAT, superficial adipose tissue; DAT, deep adipose tissue; &, retinaculum cutis superficialis; ×, superficial fascia; ¤, retinaculum cutis profundus; Ø, deep fascia.On ultrasound imaging,3 the superficial fascia appears as a thin hyperechoic layer in the subcutaneous tissue, deep to the (epi)dermis. It is easily identified in all regions and levels of the human body, splitting to envelope vessels and nerves and appearing as a bilamination.4 The superficial fascia is always clearly evident given the contrast within the hypoechogenic subcutaneous adipose tissue. Its thickness (measured by ultrasound) is different throughout various topographic regions of the human body and in the same region among different levels.4 To this end, during sonographic examination, it is important to explore the superficial fascia in the middle of the subcutaneous adipose tissue, distinguishing it from the deep fascia (especially its superficial layer) that is closer to the muscles. The two fasciae have different microscopic and anatomic appearances and functions. Of note, the superficial fascia is connected to the subcutaneous structures (organizing the fat tissue), but it also envelopes the small subcutaneous vessels and nerves. As such, it plays an important role during wound closure—avoiding complications after surgery.5 To summarize, in light of the aforementioned discussion, awareness of the superficial fascial anatomy is necessary for sonographers, physicians, anatomists, and surgeons alike. In this way, not only will optimal interpretations be possible during daily imaging, procedures, and surgery, but a common terminology can also be established for a better, prompt exchange of knowledge and research. DISCLOSURE The authors have no commercial interest in the subject of study or in the source of any financial or material support.

Vulvar anatomy relevant to vaginal surgery

The objective of this video is to systematically review components of vulvar anatomy for learners, and to review standardized anatomical terms, based on Terminologia Anatomica and prior findings from the Society for Gynecologic Surgeons Pelvic Anatomy Group. The video illustrates on a patient some of the key vulvar anatomic landmarks and reviews some relevant clinical correlates of these structures. Palpable anatomic landmarks are demonstrated. Throughout the video we emphasize preferred and non-preferred terms for each anatomic structure. This video can be used by learners at all stages of clinical education to review relevant vulvar anatomy and appropriate terminology prior to vaginal surgical procedures.

New Terminologia Anatomica: cranium and extracranial bones of the head.

In 2019, the updated and extended version of Terminologia Anatomica was published by the Federative International Programme for Anatomical Terminology (FIPAT). This new edition uses more precise and adequate anatomical names compared to its predecessors. Nevertheless, numerous terms have been modified, which poses a challenge to those who prefer traditional anatomical names, i.e. medical students, teachers, clinicians and their instructors. Therefore, there is a need to popularise this new edition of terminology and explain these recent changes. The anatomy of the head, including the cranium, the extracranial bones of the head, the soft parts of the face and the encephalon, poses a particular challenge for medical students but also engenders enthusiasm in those of them who are astute learners. The new version of anatomical terminology concerning the human skull (FIPAT 2019) is presented and briefly discussed in this synopsis. The aim of this article is to present, popularise and explain these interesting modifications that have recently been endorsed by the FIPAT. Based on teaching experience at the Division of Anatomy/Department of Anatomy at Wroclaw Medical University, a brief description of the human skull is given here. This text can be useful to medical students, teachers, authors and researchers who might want to use the current version of anatomical terminology concerning the human skull.

Ambiguous "olfactory" terms for anatomic spaces adjacent to the cribriform plate: A publication database analysis and quest for uniformity.

A precise nomenclature and terminology is the foundation of communication in Anatomy and related biomedical sciences. The olfactory bulbs and nerves lie above and below the cribriform plate (CP), respectively. Hence, many anatomical landmarks in this region have names adopting the term "olfactory" as qualifiers. Ambiguous use of these "olfactory" terms exists, with some potential repercussions on patient treatments. We performed a publication database analysis to determine the frequency of misuse of names for seven anatomical "olfactory" spaces close to the CP and nasal cavity. We searched PubMed® publications having the keyword "olfactory" in their title or abstract, plus one of seven other keywords: "groove", "fossa", "recess", "cleft", "vestibule", "sulcus", and "cistern". We reviewed all abstracts for accuracy of these terms relative to accepted norms or customary definitions. By February 2020, we found all these keywords in 1255 articles. For the terms olfactory "groove" and "fossa", the number of relevant articles (and percentage of those inaccurately using these terms) were 374 (1.1%), and 49 (8.2%), respectively. All 52 abstracts containing "olfactory" and "vestibule" were irrelevant, relating to the "nasal vestibule" and olfactory function, instead of "olfactory vestibule". Overall, terms used to describe "olfactory" spaces near the CP are seldom ambiguous or inaccurate, but the terms olfactory "groove" and "fossa" are occasionally misused, We propose several new "olfactory" terms for inclusion in the Terminologia Anatomica, and stress the need for uniform nomenclature leading to greater consistency and accuracy in clinical use of anatomical terms containing the word "olfactory" as a descriptor.

20 Standardized terminology of apical structures in the female pelvis

The objective of this video is to serve as a visual aid for the standardized terminology of the apical structures by presenting the accepted English terms in Terminologia Anatomica and newly proposed terms by the Society of Gynecologic Surgeons Pelvic Anatomy Group. By using cadaveric dissections and operating room footage we review the preferred and non-preferred terms of common structures in the apical compartment of the female pelvis. Additionally, we present the newly proposed terms by the Anatomy Group systematic review. These terms were proposed to be used in communication, particularly intraoperatively with respect to surgical anatomy. Although many of these structures are basic and common knowledge to gynecologists, this video focuses on clarifying the preferred terminology to use when discussing these structures and proposes new names to structures or regions that are clinically or surgically useful. We encourage the use of standardized terminology when speaking, writing, and teaching about female pelvic anatomy.

Recommended standardized anatomic terminology of the posterior female pelvis and vulva based on a structured medical literature review

Anatomic terminology in both written and verbal forms has been shown to be inaccurate and imprecise. Here, we aimed to (1) review published anatomic terminology as it relates to the posterior female pelvis, posterior vagina, and vulva; (2) compare these terms to "Terminologia Anatomica," the internationally standardized terminology; and (3) compile standardized anatomic terms for improved communication and understanding. From inception of the study to April 6, 2018, MEDLINE database was used to search for 40 terms relevant to the posterior female pelvis and vulvar anatomy. Furthermore, 11 investigators reviewed identified abstracts and selected those reporting on posterior female pelvic and vulvar anatomy for full-text review. In addition, 11 textbook chapters were included in the study. Definitions of all pertinent anatomic terms were extracted for review. Overall, 486 anatomic terms were identified describing the vulva and posterior female pelvic anatomy, including the posterior vagina. "Terminologia Anatomica" has previously accepted 186 of these terms. Based on this literature review, we proposed the adoption of 11 new standardized anatomic terms, including 6 regional terms (anal sphincter complex, anorectum, genital-crural fold, interlabial sulcus, posterior vaginal compartment, and sacrospinous-coccygeus complex), 4 structural terms (greater vestibular duct, anal cushions, nerve to the levator ani, and labial fat pad), and 1 anatomic space (deep postanal space). In addition, the currently accepted term rectovaginal fascia or septum was identified as controversial and requires further research and definition before continued acceptance or rejection in medical communication. This study highlighted the variability in the anatomic nomenclature used in describing the posterior female pelvis and vulva. Therefore, we recommended the use of standardized terminology to improve communication and education across medical and anatomic disciplines.