Anatomy Categories

**Category 1**
*Critical anatomical structures*
Must recognise and interpret, must know and explain.

These structures comprise core basic radiologic anatomy, and a deficiency of anatomical knowledge and skills for these structures will jeopardise a radiology trainee’s ability to perform to a satisfactory level during radiology training.

Projectional identification: identifies confidently on all common projectional modalities,recognises normal variants and knows range of normality, can identify and point out expected location, shape and size even if not visible, and the adjacent category 1 structures.

Cross sectional identification: identifies confidently on all common cross-sectional modalities, in standard radiological planes and any dedicated planes (straight or curved) commonly used for that structure, recognises normal variants and knows range of normality, can trace structure from plane to plane in an interactive stack; can identify and point out expected location, shape and size even if not visible, and the adjacent category 1 structures; can point out this expected location and size in a interactive scrolling stack.

Knowledge base: can give a structured coherent verbal account (oral or written) of the anatomical structure in language applicable to radiology reporting and to interspecialty communication; this includes all common and important anatomical characteristics of the structure, for example course, parts, relations, distribution, etc. Knows and can concisely describe normal anatomical variants,
particularly those that endanger the structure or other structures, and those that simulate disease. Can draw a basic diagram (artistic skills not required) to illustrate key morphology, internal composition and external relations of the structure in a way applicable to radiology image analysis and identification.

**Category 2**
*Important anatomical structures*
Must recognise, must know.

Anatomical structures in this category must be known for competent generalist radiologist performance. For radiology trainees at the beginning of functional anatomy. Knows and can concisely describe clinically important anatomical variants, particularly those that endanger the structure or those that simulate disease.

**Category 3**
*Useful radiologic anatomical structures*
Good to recognise, good to know.

Anatomical structures in this category must be known to category 2 level for satisfactory sub-specialist radiology performance.

A radiology trainee at the end of radiology training would not be expected to know these structures to category 2 level, but is aware of their existence. A radiology trainee at the beginning of radiology training is unlikely to know these structures.

Projectional identification: with increasing training and experience able to identify on all common projectional modalities on which it is visible, and distinguish normal
structure from abnormality of either this or other structures.

Cross sectional identification: with increasing training and experience able to identify on all common cross-sectional modalities on which it is visible in key working standard planes (transverse and coronal), and distinguish normal structure from abnormality of either this or other structures.

Knowledge base: with increasing training and experience aware of the structure’s existence, name, and functional anatomy.