Topographical code

In medicine, "Topographical codes" (or "topography code") are codes that indicate a specific location in the body.

Nomina Anatomica and Terminologia Anatomica

For the first half of the century, one of the most popular systems was the Nomina Anatomica, created by the International Federation of Associations of Anatomists (IFAA). However, that was practically abandoned midcentury. Recently, the Terminologia Anatomica has built upon that work, providing unique names in Latin, English equivalents, and numerical codes for several thousand anatomic structures.

For example:

• A04.3.02.304 is the code for the left interspinales, C3 C4
• A12.2.09.006 is the code for right acromial branch of the thoracoacromial artery

Other systems

The following two systems both have a topographical axis as one of their multiple axes:

• ICD-O
• SNOMED

External links

• Everything2 Article about Nomina Anatomica
• Everything2 Article about Terminologia Anatomica
• EvoWiki for Nomina Anatomica
• PMID 10321431
• Example of use
• IFAA home page