The posterior cerebral artery is a bilateral artery with a common origin from the basilar artery at the level of the mesencephalon (midbrain). The basilar artery itself is formed by the junction of both vertebral arteries.

After the common origin of  both posterior cerebral arteries, the posterior communicating arteries arise, forming the posterior aspect of the arterial circle of Willis. The posterior cerebral arteries provide blood supply to the medial aspect of the occipital lobe of the brain, as well the inferior and medial aspect of the temporal lobe. It also provides deep arteries to the thalamus and hypothalamus

For information on the anatomical variations of the posterior cerebral artery click here.

The suffix [-(o)ptosis] arises from the Greek [πτώσηι?] meaning "to fall", "to sag" or "go down". This suffix is used in medical words such as:

• Nephroptosis: The root term [-nephr-] means "kidney". A falling or drooping of a kidney
• Blepharoptosis: The root term [-blephr-] means "eyelid". A falling or drooping of an eyelid
• Hysteroptosis: The root term [-hyster-] is used to mean "uterus". A falling, drooping, or prolapse of the uterus
• Gastroptosis: The root term [-gastr-] means "stomach". A drooping or sagging of the stomach

Henry Gray F.R.S. (1827 – 1861). English anatomist, Henry Gray was born in 1827. Not much is known of his early studies. What is known is that on May 6, 1845 Gray was studying as a pupil at St. George’s Hospital in London. At 21 years of age Gray won an award for an anatomical paper on human and comparative anatomy of the eye and its appendages.

In 1850 Henry Gray was appointed as house surgeon to the St. George’s Hospital, and in 1852 he was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society. He wrote several anatomical papers and in 1852 became a lecturer on Anatomy at the same hospital.

At this time he started work on what would become his legacy to the world. A systematic analysis and treatise on human anatomy that was originally published in 1858, entitled “Anatomy, Descriptive, and Surgical” which was profusely illustrated by Henry Vandyke Carter, M.D.

Unfortunately for the world, Henry Gray was affected by smallpox and died on June 13, 1861 shortly after he was elected as a member of the Royal College of Surgeons. Henry Gray died when he was only 34 years old.

Original imagecourtesy of NLM  

Sources:
1. “Henry Gray and Henry Vandyke Carter: Creators of a Famous Textbook" Roberts, S. J Med Biog 2000 8: 206-212
2. "Henry Gray, Anatomist: An Appreciation" Boland, F Am J Med Sci 1908 1827-1924
3. "The Anatomist: A True Story of Gray’s Anatomy" Hayes, B. Random House PG 2007

The word [pathology] is formed by two components. The root term [-path-] arises from the Greek [πάθος], meaning “suffering”. The term [πάθος], or [pathos] was first used by Galen of Pergamon (129AD - 200AD) (see accompanying image) to denote an alteration of a vital process. The suffix [-(o)logy] also has Greek origin from [logos] or [λόγος], meaning a "book", a "treatise" or "to study". Therefore [pathology] or [παθολογία] is the “study of disease or conditions”. In simpler terms the word [pathology] is also used as a synonym for "sickness", "disease", or "condition".

The root term [-path-] can be found in many medical terms such as:

• Pathology: Study of disease

• Pathophysiology: This combined root adds the root term [-phys-] meaning “function” Study of the function of disease (a disease in action)

• Pathognomonic: See definition here

• Pathogenesis: The suffix [-(o)genesis] means “creation”, or “origin”. Origin of a disease

 
Original image courtesy of Images from the History of Medicine at nih.gov

Franz Kaspar Hesselbach (1759 – 1816). German physician, surgeon, and anatomist. Hesselbach was born in Bavaria in 1759. At the age of 19 he became an apprentice to Karl Von Siebold (1736 - 1807), a German surgeon, obstetrician and anatomist. He worked with him as an unpaid assistant for six years until 1789 when he was hired as a prosector.

Hesselbach became a lecturer on anatomy at the University of W?rzburg and a surgical assistant at the Juliusspital at W?rzburg. Later Hesselbach became a professor of Surgery at the same university.

 Hesselbach’s name is eponymically tied to many structures, most of them related to hernia, an area where he is best known. In 1806 he published a treatise on hernia (Anatomisch-chirurgische Abhandlung ?ber den Urspurng der Leistenbr?che) “Anatomical and surgical treatise on the origin of Hernias”. These structures are:

• Hesselbach’s fascia: the cribriform fascia covering the saphenous hiatus of the thigh
• Hesselbach’s  ligament: also known as the interfoveolar ligament
• Hesselbach’s triangle: site for direct inguinal hernia
• Hesselbach’s hernia: a femoral hernia protruding through the cribriform fascia

   Primary Image property of: CAA.Inc.
Artist: M. Zuptich.

In 1807 Hesselbach’s contributions were acknowledged and he was conferred the degree of Doctor of Surgery. During his life Hesselbach published several books, treatises, and papers.

A depiction of Hesselbach has not been found (yet) so we publish an image of his eponymic “triangle”. If you click on the image, you will see an original image from Hesselbach's book.

Sosurces:
1. "Franz Kaspar Hesselbach (1759–1816): Anatomist and Surgeon" R. Shane Tubbs et al W J Surg (2008) 32:11 2527-2529
2. "Groin Hernia Anatomical and Surgical History" McClusky DA, et al Arch Surg. 2006; 141(10):1035-1042
3. "Eponyms in groin surgery" Ellis, H. Surgery (Oxford) (2006) 24:8, 257–259
4. "Franz Kaspar Hasselbach (1759–1816)" Agarwal, AK; Mukherjee, R. Indian J. Surg (2008); 70:96–98

The word [version] comes from the Latin [versum / vertere] meaning "to turn" or "to turn around" (see the use of this Latin root in the word "vertebra"). In anatomy, version is the angulation (or turning) of an organ or a structure as a unit. The term is also used to denote the "turning" of a fetus "in utero"  by active manipulation to allow proper birth.

Normally, the cervix of the uterus is anteversed or has an "anterior version".  This means that the body and uterine cervix are tilted anteriorly (as a unit). Because of this in a female in the anatomical position, the fundus of the uterus looks almost anteriorly, while the main axis of the cervix points towards the coccyx. See the accompanying image.

The opposite, pathological presentation, is retroversion, where the uterus as a unit is tilted posteriorly. The angulation between the main axis of the uterine body and the main axis of the cervix is normal, but the organ as a unit is tilted posteriorly. Varying degrees of retroversion can cause varying degrees of infertility, a condition known vernacularly as a "slippery uterus".

  Images property of: CAA.Inc.Artist:Dr. E. Miranda