BDS General Anatomy Syllabus

Where is the brachial artery pulse best palpated, and what is its clinical use?

In the cubital fossa, medial to the biceps brachii tendon; it is the standard site for auscultating blood pressure with a sphygmomanometer.

Which two arteries form the palmar arches of the hand?

The superficial palmar arch is mainly the continuation of the ulnar artery; the deep palmar arch is mainly the continuation of the radial artery.

Name the bones of the pelvic girdle and the components of the hip bone.

The pelvic girdle consists of the two hip (coxal) bones. Each hip bone is formed by the fusion of the ilium, ischium, and pubis, which meet at the acetabulum.

Name the bones of the thigh and leg.

Thigh: femur (and the patella anteriorly). Leg: tibia (medial, weight-bearing) and fibula (lateral).

List the seven tarsal bones of the foot.

Calcaneus, talus, navicular, cuboid, and the medial, intermediate, and lateral cuneiforms.

Which is the largest and strongest bone in the body, and what are its key proximal landmarks?

The femur. Its proximal landmarks are the head, neck, greater trochanter, and lesser trochanter.

Name the muscles of the quadriceps femoris and their common action.

Rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, and vastus intermedius. They extend the knee (rectus femoris also flexes the hip); supplied by the femoral nerve.

Name the three hamstring muscles and their actions.

Biceps femoris, semitendinosus, and semimembranosus. They flex the knee and extend the hip; supplied mainly by the tibial part of the sciatic nerve.

What muscles form the calf, and what is their combined tendon and action?

Gastrocnemius and soleus (triceps surae). They insert via the calcaneal (Achilles) tendon and plantarflex the ankle; supplied by the tibial nerve.

Which is the largest nerve in the body, its root value, and its two terminal branches?

The sciatic nerve (L4, L5, S1, S2, S3). It divides into the tibial nerve and the common fibular (peroneal) nerve, usually near the apex of the popliteal fossa.

What deficit follows injury to the common fibular (peroneal) nerve?

Foot drop with loss of dorsiflexion and eversion (high-stepping gait) and sensory loss over the anterolateral leg and dorsum of the foot; it is the most commonly injured nerve in the lower limb (vulnerable at the fibular neck).

Which nerve supplies the anterior thigh muscles and what is its root value?

The femoral nerve (L2, L3, L4); it supplies the quadriceps and mediates knee extension, with sensation to the anterior thigh and (via the saphenous branch) the medial leg.

Trace the main arterial supply of the lower limb from the external iliac artery to the foot.

External iliac becomes the femoral artery (at the inguinal ligament), which becomes the popliteal artery (at the adductor hiatus); the popliteal divides into the anterior tibial artery (becoming the dorsalis pedis) and the posterior tibial artery (giving the fibular artery).

Where are the dorsalis pedis and posterior tibial pulses palpated?

Dorsalis pedis: on the dorsum of the foot lateral to the extensor hallucis longus tendon. Posterior tibial: posteroinferior to the medial malleolus. Both assess distal limb perfusion.

Describe the composition of the bony thorax.

12 pairs of ribs, 12 thoracic vertebrae posteriorly, the sternum anteriorly (manubrium, body, xiphoid process), and the costal cartilages connecting ribs to the sternum.

Classify ribs as true, false, and floating.

True ribs (1-7) attach directly to the sternum via their own costal cartilage; false ribs (8-10) attach indirectly via the cartilage above; floating ribs (11-12) have no anterior attachment.

What is the sternal angle (angle of Louis) and why is it clinically important?

The palpable ridge at the manubriosternal joint, level with the 2nd costal cartilage. It marks the 2nd rib (a landmark for counting ribs), the level of the aortic arch, tracheal bifurcation (carina), and the T4/T5 vertebral level.

Name the muscles of respiration involved in quiet breathing and their roles.

The diaphragm (chief muscle, contracts and descends to increase thoracic volume during inspiration) and the external intercostals (elevate the ribs). Expiration in quiet breathing is passive elastic recoil.

Compare the actions of external and internal intercostal muscles.

External intercostals elevate the ribs and aid inspiration; internal intercostals depress the ribs and aid forced expiration. Both stabilize the intercostal spaces.

What are the contents of the mediastinum, and its major subdivisions?

The mediastinum is the central compartment between the lungs. It is divided into superior and inferior; the inferior is further split into anterior, middle (contains the heart and pericardium), and posterior mediastinum. Contents include the heart, great vessels, trachea, oesophagus, thymus, and nerves.

Describe the pleura and the pleural cavity.

The pleura is a serous membrane with two layers: visceral pleura (covers the lung) and parietal pleura (lines the thoracic wall). Between them is the pleural cavity, containing a thin film of serous fluid that reduces friction during breathing.

Compare the lobar anatomy of the right and left lungs.

The right lung has three lobes (upper, middle, lower) separated by oblique and horizontal fissures. The left lung has two lobes (upper, lower) separated by an oblique fissure, plus the cardiac notch and lingula to accommodate the heart.

Name the four chambers and four valves of the heart.

Chambers: right atrium, right ventricle, left atrium, left ventricle. Valves: tricuspid (right AV), pulmonary (right semilunar), mitral/bicuspid (left AV), and aortic (left semilunar).

Describe the course and function of the phrenic nerve.

The phrenic nerve arises from C3, C4, and C5, descends through the thorax anterior to the lung root, and provides the sole motor supply to the diaphragm plus sensation to the pericardium, mediastinal pleura, and diaphragmatic pleura. Mnemonic: 'C3, 4, 5 keep the diaphragm alive.'

What does the vagus nerve supply in the thorax?

The vagus nerve (CN X) provides parasympathetic innervation to the heart (slowing rate), lungs (bronchoconstriction), and oesophagus. It also gives off the recurrent laryngeal nerves supplying the larynx.

Trace the aorta through the thorax and its major branches.

The ascending aorta (gives right and left coronary arteries) continues as the arch of the aorta (branches: brachiocephalic trunk, left common carotid, left subclavian), which becomes the descending thoracic aorta giving posterior intercostal, bronchial, and oesophageal branches.

Name the layers of the anterolateral abdominal wall from superficial to deep.

Skin, superficial fascia (Camper's fatty and Scarpa's membranous layers), the three flat muscles (external oblique, internal oblique, transversus abdominis) with the rectus abdominis anteriorly, transversalis fascia, extraperitoneal fat, and parietal peritoneum.

What structures pass through the inguinal canal in males and females?

In males the spermatic cord; in females the round ligament of the uterus. In both, the ilioinguinal nerve passes through. It is a common site of inguinal hernia.

Name the nine regions of the abdomen defined by the two vertical and two horizontal planes.

Right hypochondriac, epigastric, left hypochondriac; right lumbar (flank), umbilical, left lumbar; right iliac (inguinal), hypogastric (suprapubic), left iliac.

List the major solid and hollow organs of the abdomen and their peritoneal status.

Solid: liver, spleen, pancreas (retroperitoneal), kidneys (retroperitoneal). Hollow: stomach, small intestine (jejunum/ileum intraperitoneal), large intestine (ascending and descending colon retroperitoneal), gallbladder. The duodenum is mostly retroperitoneal.

Describe the innervation of the anterior abdominal wall.

The thoraco-abdominal nerves (anterior rami of T7-T11), the subcostal nerve (T12), and the iliohypogastric and ilioinguinal nerves (L1) supply the skin and muscles. The T10 dermatome lies at the umbilicus.