SPEAKING OF LANGUAGE
An Aspect of Radiology Worth Considering Samson Munn, MD Clarity in anatomic localization is pivotal in radiologic communication. Over the past several years, misuse of the word aspect has become common in medical literature and radiology reports [1-3]. Misuse probably arises from a common meaning of aspect in general English, a “part” or an “element.” Medically, however, aspect is defined as “1) that part of a surface facing in any designated direction, 2) the look or appearance” [4] or “[in] anatomy, the side of an object from a particular direction, as the posterior aspect” [5]. Aspect stems from aspicere and other related Latin words, meaning “to look at” [6]. For proper medical usage, think of what would (or would not) be visible at the surface, what your eye would see were you to look at the body part in
which the lesion or other object exists. A 1-cm mass buried well inside the anterior portion of the thigh may be described as inside or within the anterior (portion of the) quadriceps muscle. However, it is not at the anterior aspect of the muscle. To be at the anterior aspect of the muscle, it would have to be visible at the surface. Likewise, a lytic lesion at the lateral aspect of the lateral portion of the right ninth rib—at the surface of the bone—could be seen with the naked eye if the overlying soft tissues were dissected; the lesion would be visible. However, if the lytic lesion were just 2 mm under the cortical bone, it would be in the lateral portion of the rib, but not at its lateral aspect (because it would no longer be visible at the surface).
REFERENCES 1. Ali S, Kaplan S, Kaufman T, Fnerty S, Kozin S, Zlotolow DA. Madelung deformity and Madelung-type deformities: a review of the clinical and radiological characteristics. Pediatr Radiol 2015;45:1856-63. 2. Ho-Fung V, Jaimes C, Delgado J, Davidson RS, Jaramillo D. MRI evaluation of the knee in children with infantile Blount disease: tibial and extra-tibial findings. Pediatr Radiol 2013;43:1316-26. 3. Yang BT, Wang YZ, Dong JY, Wang XY, Wang ZC. MRI study of solitary fibrous tumor in the orbit. AJR Am J Roentgenol 2012;199:W506-11. 4. Dorland’s illustrated medical dictionary. 25th ed. Philadelphia: W. B. Saunders; 1974:154. 5. Etter LE. Glossary of words and phrases used in radiology, nuclear medicine and ultrasound. 2nd ed. Springfield, Illinois: Charles C. Thomas; 1970:113. 6. Stevenson A, ed. Oxford dictionary of English. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press; 2010:93. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jacr.2015.09.022 S1546-1440(15)00950-3
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The author has no conflicts of interest related to the material discussed in this article. Samson Munn, MD: Tufts Medical Center, Department of Radiology, 800 Washington Street, Box 299, Boston, MA 02111; e-mail: [email protected].
Journal of the American College of Radiology Letters to the Editor
123
An Aspect of Radiology Worth Considering Samson Munn, MD Clarity in anatomic localization is pivotal in radiologic communication. Over the past several years, misuse of the word aspect has become common in medical literature and radiology reports [1-3]. Misuse probably arises from a common meaning of aspect in general English, a “part” or an “element.” Medically, however, aspect is defined as “1) that part of a surface facing in any designated direction, 2) the look or appearance” [4] or “[in] anatomy, the side of an object from a particular direction, as the posterior aspect” [5]. Aspect stems from aspicere and other related Latin words, meaning “to look at” [6]. For proper medical usage, think of what would (or would not) be visible at the surface, what your eye would see were you to look at the body part in
which the lesion or other object exists. A 1-cm mass buried well inside the anterior portion of the thigh may be described as inside or within the anterior (portion of the) quadriceps muscle. However, it is not at the anterior aspect of the muscle. To be at the anterior aspect of the muscle, it would have to be visible at the surface. Likewise, a lytic lesion at the lateral aspect of the lateral portion of the right ninth rib—at the surface of the bone—could be seen with the naked eye if the overlying soft tissues were dissected; the lesion would be visible. However, if the lytic lesion were just 2 mm under the cortical bone, it would be in the lateral portion of the rib, but not at its lateral aspect (because it would no longer be visible at the surface).
REFERENCES 1. Ali S, Kaplan S, Kaufman T, Fnerty S, Kozin S, Zlotolow DA. Madelung deformity and Madelung-type deformities: a review of the clinical and radiological characteristics. Pediatr Radiol 2015;45:1856-63. 2. Ho-Fung V, Jaimes C, Delgado J, Davidson RS, Jaramillo D. MRI evaluation of the knee in children with infantile Blount disease: tibial and extra-tibial findings. Pediatr Radiol 2013;43:1316-26. 3. Yang BT, Wang YZ, Dong JY, Wang XY, Wang ZC. MRI study of solitary fibrous tumor in the orbit. AJR Am J Roentgenol 2012;199:W506-11. 4. Dorland’s illustrated medical dictionary. 25th ed. Philadelphia: W. B. Saunders; 1974:154. 5. Etter LE. Glossary of words and phrases used in radiology, nuclear medicine and ultrasound. 2nd ed. Springfield, Illinois: Charles C. Thomas; 1970:113. 6. Stevenson A, ed. Oxford dictionary of English. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press; 2010:93. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jacr.2015.09.022 S1546-1440(15)00950-3
n
The author has no conflicts of interest related to the material discussed in this article. Samson Munn, MD: Tufts Medical Center, Department of Radiology, 800 Washington Street, Box 299, Boston, MA 02111; e-mail: [email protected].
Journal of the American College of Radiology Letters to the Editor
123
