Anatomy mnemonics

"Some Lovers Try Positions That They Can't Handle" — Scaphoid, Lunate, Triquetrum, Pisiform | Trapezium, Trapezoid, Capitate, Hamate. "Trapezium by the thumb".

"Tiger Cubs Need MILC" — Talus, Calcaneus, Navicular, Medial, Intermediate and Lateral cuneiforms, Cuboid.

"PEST OF 6" — Parietal (2), Ethmoid, Sphenoid, Temporal (2), Occipital, Frontal; the "6" reminds you there are six types.

"Virgil Can Not Make My Pet Zebra Laugh" — Vomer, (inferior nasal) Conchae, Nasal, Maxillae, Mandible, Palatine, Zygomatic, Lacrimal.

"Breakfast at 7, lunch at 12, dinner at 5" — 7 cervical, 12 thoracic, 5 lumbar (then 5 fused sacral and ≈4 coccygeal).

"OVALE" — Otic ganglion (lies just below), V3 (mandibular nerve), Accessory meningeal artery, Lesser petrosal nerve, Emissary vein.

"SALTR" — I Straight across (Slipped), II Above (metaphysis — most common), III Lower (epiphysis), IV Through (metaphysis + plate + epiphysis), V Rammed (crush, worst prognosis).

"ARM": Axillary — surgical neck; Radial — mid-shaft (radial groove); Median — supracondylar. Ulnar — medial epicondyle.

OsteoBlasts Build bone; osteoClasts Chew (or Cut) bone.

"PEST OF 6": Parietal, Ethmoid, Sphenoid, Temporal, Occipital, Frontal.

"Standing Room Only": Superior orbital fissure → foramen Rotundum (V2) → foramen Ovale (V3) → (foramen Spinosum, middle meningeal artery).

"Live Frankly To See Absolutely No Insult": Lacrimal, Frontal, Trochlear, Superior division of III, Abducens, Nasociliary, Inferior division of III.

Internal acoustic meatus 7 & 8; jugular foramen 9, 10, 11; hypoglossal canal 12 — "7-8 hear, 9-10-11 jugular, 12 alone".

"Many Friendly Zebras Enjoy Lazy Summer Picnics": Maxilla, Frontal, Zygomatic, Ethmoid, Lacrimal, Sphenoid, Palatine.

"Breakfast at 7, lunch at 12, dinner at 5."

"VAN" from superior to inferior in the costal groove: Vein, Artery, Nerve.

Rib 2 (costal cartilage), Aortic arch begins and ends, Trachea bifurcates (carina), Pulmonary trunk bifurcates, Ligamentum arteriosum, Azygos vein joins the SVC — and the plane divides the superior from the inferior mediastinum.

"Army over the bridge, Navy under the bridge": suprascapular artery passes above the transverse scapular ligament, the nerve below.

"CRITOE" (≈1-3-5-7-9-11 years): Capitulum, Radial head, Internal epicondyle, Trochlea, Olecranon, External epicondyle.

"ARM": Axillary (surgical neck), Radial (radial groove), Median (supracondylar region); plus Ulnar (behind the medial epicondyle).

"GRUM": Galeazzi = Radius fracture (+ distal radioulnar dislocation); Ulna fracture = Monteggia (+ radial head dislocation).

"Some Lovers Try Positions That They Can’t Handle" — lateral to medial, proximal row then distal row.

"Trapezium is by the thumb"; the trapezoid is next to it, medially.

Gynaecoid (round, ideal for birth, ≈50% of women), Android (heart-shaped, male-type), Anthropoid (long AP oval), Platypelloid (flat, wide transverse).

"Tiger Cubs Need MILC" — Talus, Calcaneus, Navicular, Medial, Intermediate, Lateral cuneiforms, Cuboid.

"Please Help Paul Catch Some Balls": Plane, Hinge, Pivot, Condyloid, Saddle, Ball-and-socket.

"LAMP": Lateral femoral condyle → ACL; Medial femoral condyle → PCL (named by their tibial attachments: Anterior and Posterior intercondylar areas).

"Hands in pockets": the ACL runs like your hands going into the front pockets — from anterior tibia to the lateral side (lateral femoral condyle).

"Tom, Dick And Very Nervous Harry": Tibialis posterior, flexor Digitorum longus, posterior tibial Artery, Vein(s), tibial Nerve, flexor Hallucis longus.

Supraspinatus, Infraspinatus, Teres minor (all on the greater tubercle, superior → inferior facets), Subscapularis (lesser tubercle).

"I Love Spaghetti": Iliocostalis, Longissimus, Spinalis.

"Say Grace before Tea": Sartorius (femoral nerve), Gracilis (obturator nerve), semiTendinosus (tibial nerve). Three muscles, three compartments, three nerves.

"Tom, Dick And Very Nervous Harry": Tibialis posterior, flexor Digitorum longus, posterior tibial Artery, Vein(s), tibial Nerve, flexor Hallucis longus.

PAD (Palmar interossei ADduct) and DAB (Dorsal interossei ABduct), relative to the axis of the middle finger.

Lateral two lumbricals, Opponens pollicis, Abductor pollicis brevis, Flexor pollicis brevis (superficial head). Every other intrinsic hand muscle is supplied by the ulnar nerve.

"Two Zebras Bit My Cookie": Temporal, Zygomatic, Buccal, Marginal mandibular, Cervical.

"S1–2 buckle my shoe" (ankle jerk), "L3–4 kick the door" (knee jerk), "C5–6 pick up sticks" (biceps and brachioradialis), "C7–8 lay them straight" (triceps).

"HI, I'm shrinking": the H zone and I band shorten, while the A band stays the same ("A is Always the same").

"Two Zebras Bit My Cookie": temporal, zygomatic, buccal, marginal mandibular, cervical.

"I Love Spaghetti": Iliocostalis, Longissimus, Spinalis.

"Screw The Lawyer Save A Patient": Superior thoracic (1st part); Thoraco-acromial and Lateral thoracic (2nd part); Subscapular, Anterior and Posterior circumflex humeral (3rd part).

"C5, 6, 7 — raise your wings to heaven": the long thoracic nerve (C5–C7) prevents scapular winging.

VAN from top to bottom: intercostal Vein, Artery, Nerve. The nerve is the least protected by the groove.

Supraspinatus, Infraspinatus, Teres minor, Subscapularis. The first three ("SIT") insert on the greater tubercle from top to bottom. The last ("S") inserts on the lesser tubercle.

Number of tendons per compartment, radial → ulnar: 2-2-1-2-1-1 (APL/EPB · ECRL/ECRB · EPL · ED/EI · EDM · ECU).

LOAF: Lateral two lumbricals, Opponens pollicis, Abductor pollicis brevis, Flexor pollicis brevis.

LOAF: the Lateral two lumbricals are median-supplied, like the thenar muscles. The medial two are ulnar-supplied, like the interossei.

Palmar ADduct, Dorsal ABduct.

NAVeL: femoral Nerve, Artery, Vein, Lymphatics (deep inguinal nodes in the femoral canal). Borders: inguinal ligament, sartorius, adductor longus.

"L3–4, kick the door."

"Say Grace before Tea": Sartorius, Gracilis, semiTendinosus, in order from anterior to posterior.

"S1–2, buckle my shoe."

"Tom, Dick And Very Nervous Harry": Tibialis posterior, flexor Digitorum longus, Artery, Vein, Nerve (tibial), flexor Hallucis longus, from anterior to posterior.

LAFF: 1st Lumbrical, Abductor hallucis, Flexor digitorum brevis, Flexor hallucis brevis. Every other plantar intrinsic is lateral plantar.

"Oh Oh Oh To Touch And Feel Very Good Velvet, Such Heaven" — Olfactory, Optic, Oculomotor, Trochlear, Trigeminal, Abducens, Facial, Vestibulocochlear, Glossopharyngeal, Vagus, (Spinal) accessory, Hypoglossal.

"Some Say Marry Money But My Brother Says Big Brains Matter More" — I S, II S, III M, IV M, V B, VI M, VII B, VIII S, IX B, X B, XI M, XII M. Parasympathetic fibres travel in III, VII, IX and X ("1973").

"Standing Room Only" — V1 through the Superior orbital fissure, V2 through foramen Rotundum, V3 through foramen Ovale.

"Randy Travis Drinks Cold Beer" — Roots (C5–T1), Trunks (3), Divisions (6), Cords (3), Branches. The terminal branches are "MARMU": Musculocutaneous, Axillary, Radial, Median, Ulnar.

"S1, 2 — buckle my shoe (ankle jerk); L3, 4 — kick the door (knee jerk); C5, 6 — pick up sticks (biceps, brachioradialis); C7, 8 — lay them straight (triceps)."

"C3, 4, 5 keeps the diaphragm alive" — the phrenic nerve. A complete cord injury at or above C3 abolishes spontaneous breathing.

"DANISH" — Dysdiadochokinesia, Ataxia (wide-based gait), Nystagmus, Intention tremor, Slurred (scanning) speech, Hypotonia/past-pointing (dysmetria). The signs are ipsilateral to the lesion.

Parasympathetic "SLUDD" plus three decreases: Salivation, Lacrimation, Urination, Digestion, Defecation, with decreased heart rate, pupil size and airway diameter. Male sexual function: "Point and Shoot" — Parasympathetic erection, Sympathetic emission.

"Hot as a hare, dry as a bone, red as a beet, blind as a bat, mad as a hatter, full as a flask."

"1973" — cranial nerves X, IX, VII, III.

"Point and Shoot": Parasympathetic erection, Sympathetic emission (with somatic pudendal-mediated ejaculation).

"Cuneus — Ceiling is the floor": the cuneus (above the sulcus) sees the lower field; the lingual gyrus ("tongue", below) sees the upper field.

Feeding, Fleeing, Fighting, Feeling and sex (Fornication) — plus memory.

"Hippo Forgot My Aunt's Cat Purring" — Hippocampus → Fornix → Mammillary body → Anterior thalamic nucleus → Cingulate gyrus → Parahippocampal gyrus → back to Hippocampus.

"D1 = Direct = Do (go); D2 = inDirect = Don't." Dopamine excites D1 and inhibits D2, so it says GO through both.

"Lentiform = Putamen + Globus pallidus (the lens is PG-rated); Striatum = Caudate + Putamen."

"Lateral = Light (vision); Medial = Music (hearing)."

"VPL = Limbs/body; VPM = Mouth/face (and taste — think make-up on the face)."

• 4 midline (medial) structures, each starting with M: Motor pathway (corticospinal), Medial lemniscus, Medial longitudinal fasciculus, Motor nuclei of the cranial nerves that divide evenly into 12 (III, IV, VI, XII).
• 4 lateral structures, each starting with S: Spinocerebellar tracts, Spinothalamic tract, Sensory nucleus of V, Sympathetic pathway.
• 4 cranial nerves in the medulla (IX–XII), 4 in the pons (V–VIII) and 4 above the pons (I–IV; III and IV in the midbrain).
Medial syndromes therefore involve M structures, and lateral syndromes involve S structures.

"Don't Eat Greasy Food" — Dentate, Emboliform, Globose, Fastigial.

"DANISH" — Dysdiadochokinesia, Ataxia, Nystagmus, Intention tremor, Slurred/scanning speech, Hypotonia.

"PAD" from the brain outwards — Pia, Arachnoid, Dura (the brain is protected by a PAD).

"Magendie = Median; Luschka = Lateral."

"Magendie Median, Luschka Lateral" — one median and two lateral openings.

Gracilis = Ground (legs), medial; Cuneatus = Ceiling (arms), lateral. "Gracile ballerina's legs".

"Breakfast at 7, lunch at 12, dinner at 5": 7 cervical vertebrae (but 8 nerves), 12 thoracic, 5 lumbar. Then 5 sacral and 1 coccygeal nerves, so 8 + 12 + 5 + 5 + 1 = 31.

"T4 at the teat pore, T10 at the belly butTEN, L1 at the IL (inguinal ligament)."

"S1, 2 buckle my shoe (ankle jerk); L3, 4 kick the door (knee jerk); C5, 6 pick up sticks (biceps, brachioradialis); C7, 8 lay them straight (triceps)."

"Oh Oh Oh To Touch And Feel Very Good Velvet, Ah Heaven." This gives Olfactory, Optic, Oculomotor, Trochlear, Trigeminal, Abducens, Facial, Vestibulocochlear, Glossopharyngeal, Vagus, Accessory and Hypoglossal.

"Some Say Marry Money, But My Brother Says Big Brains Matter More." This gives S S M M B M B S B B M M.

"Live Frankly To See Absolutely No Insult": Lacrimal, Frontal, Trochlear, Superior division of III, Abducens, Nasociliary, Inferior division of III. The first three pass outside the common tendinous ring.

"PITS": Parietal → Inferior quadrant, Temporal → Superior quadrant (contralateral homonymous quadrantanopias).

"LR6 SO4, the rest 3." The lateral rectus is supplied by CN VI, the superior oblique by CN IV, and all the others (including LPS) by CN III.

"SO4 — Superior Oblique looks dOwn and in." Superior oblique depresses and intorts: "SIN" (Superiors INtort).

"Standing Room Only": Superior orbital fissure, foramen Rotundum, foramen Ovale.

"Muscles of mastication + Mylohyoid, Anterior belly of digastric, Tensor tympani, Tensor veli palatini" ("MATT"). V3 supplies the two "tensors".

"To Zanzibar By Motor Car": Temporal, Zygomatic, Buccal, Marginal mandibular, Cervical.

"Face, ear, taste, tear": muscles of face, stapedius in the ear, taste from the anterior 2/3 of the tongue, and tear (lacrimal) plus salivary secretion.

"LARP": Left vagus becomes the Anterior trunk, Right vagus becomes the Posterior trunk. This follows the 90° rotation of the stomach during development.

"Little Girls Take Sweets": Lesser occipital, Great auricular, Transverse cervical, Supraclavicular.

"C3, 4, 5 keeps the diaphragm alive."

"Randy Travis Drinks Cold Beer": Roots, Trunks, Divisions, Cords, Branches.

"MARMU", from lateral to medial: Musculocutaneous, Axillary, Radial, Median, Ulnar.

"STAR": Subscapulars (upper and lower), Thoracodorsal, Axillary, Radial.

"BEST": Brachioradialis, Extensors (wrist and digits), Supinator, Triceps.

"LOAF": Lateral two lumbricals, Opponens pollicis, Abductor pollicis brevis, Flexor pollicis brevis.

The median nerve supplies all flexors except 1½. Those 1½ are flexor carpi ulnaris and the medial half of FDP, which are supplied by the ulnar nerve.

"PAD and DAB": Palmar interossei ADduct, Dorsal interossei ABduct. Both are supplied by the ulnar nerve.

"C5, 6, 7 — raise your wings to heaven." The roots of the nerve that stops scapular winging.

"VAN", from top to bottom: Vein, Artery, Nerve. The nerve is the least protected by the costal groove.

"5–9, 10–11, 12": the greater (5 to 9), lesser (10 and 11) and least (12) splanchnic nerves get progressively smaller and lower.

"Point (erection, Parasympathetic pelvic splanchnics), Shoot (emission, Sympathetic lumbar splanchnics)." Ejaculation itself also needs the somatic pudendal nerve (bulbospongiosus).

"I, I Get Lunch On Fridays": Iliohypogastric, Ilioinguinal, Genitofemoral, Lateral femoral cutaneous, Obturator, Femoral.

"2 from 1, 2 from 2, 2 from 3": iliohypogastric and ilioinguinal from L1; genitofemoral (L1–2) and lateral femoral cutaneous (L2–3) from two segments each; obturator and femoral from three segments (L2–4).

"NAVY": Nerve, Artery, Vein, Y-fronts (or the empty space of the femoral canal with its lymphatics).

"S2, 3, 4 keeps the pelvic floor up off the floor." These segments supply levator ani and the external sphincters (pudendal) and the parasympathetic pelvic splanchnics for bladder, bowel and erection.

"Tom, Dick And Very Nervous Harry": Tibialis posterior, flexor Digitorum longus, posterior tibial Artery, Vein, tibial Nerve, flexor Hallucis longus (from anterior to posterior behind the medial malleolus).

"S2, 3, 4 keeps the pelvic floor (and the sphincters) up off the floor."

"Sodium in, potassium out": Na⁺ in for the upstroke, K⁺ out for the downstroke.

"Try Lovely Dark Night Expressos": Tyrosine → L-DOPA → Dopamine → Noradrenaline (norepinephrine) → Epinephrine (adrenaline).

ABC'S: the Aortic arch gives the Brachiocephalic trunk, the left Common carotid and the left Subclavian artery.

"Some Anatomists Like Freaking Out Poor Medical Students": superior thyroid, ascending pharyngeal, lingual, facial, occipital, posterior auricular, maxillary, superficial temporal.

VIT C & D: vertebral, internal thoracic, thyrocervical trunk, costocervical trunk, dorsal scapular.

"12 – 1 – 1/2 – 2 – 3 – 4": coeliac trunk T12, superior mesenteric artery L1, renal arteries L1–L2, gonadal arteries L2, inferior mesenteric artery L3, aortic bifurcation L4.

"I Like To Rise So High": Iliac (common iliac) veins, Lumbar veins, Testicular/ovarian vein (right), Renal veins, Suprarenal vein (right), Hepatic veins.

"All Physicians Take Money". Moving from the upper right sternal border to the apex: Aortic (2nd right intercostal space), Pulmonary (2nd left intercostal space), Tricuspid (4th–5th left intercostal space at the sternal edge), Mitral (apex, 5th left intercostal space, midclavicular line).

PROV: Pulmonary (right ventricular outflow) stenosis, Right ventricular hypertrophy, Overriding aorta, Ventricular septal defect.

"CADET, face Right". CO₂, Acid, 2,3-DPG (BPG), Exercise and Temperature all shift the curve to the right, which lowers affinity and makes O₂ unloading easier.

"Try before you buy": blood passes the tricuspid valve (right) before the bicuspid, or mitral, valve (left).

WiLLiaM (LBBB): a W shape in V1 and an M shape in V6. MaRRoW (RBBB): an M shape in V1 and a W shape in V6.

ABC'S: the Arch gives the Brachiocephalic trunk, the left Common carotid and the left Subclavian.

"12 – 1 – 1/2 – 2 – 3 – 4": coeliac T12, SMA L1, renals L1–L2, gonadals L2, IMA L3, bifurcation L4.

"I Like To Rise So High": Iliacs, Lumbars, Testicular (right), Renals, Suprarenal (right), Hepatics.

"Some Anatomists Like Freaking Out Poor Medical Students": Superior thyroid, Ascending pharyngeal, Lingual, Facial, Occipital, Posterior auricular, Maxillary, Superficial temporal.

Moving around from the front: ACom, then A1 of each ACA, the ICA termination, PCom, and P1 of each PCA, closing at the basilar tip.

VIT C & D: Vertebral, Internal thoracic, Thyrocervical trunk, Costocervical trunk, Dorsal scapular.

"Screw The Lawyer Save A Patient": Superior thoracic; Thoracoacromial, Lateral thoracic; Subscapular, Anterior and Posterior circumflex humeral. The parts give 1, 2 and 3 branches.

"Left Hand Side": Left gastric, (common) Hepatic, Splenic.

"I Love Going Places In My Very Own Underwear": Iliolumbar, Lateral sacral, Gluteal (superior and inferior), internal Pudendal, Inferior vesical (or vaginal), Middle rectal, Vesical (superior), Obturator, Umbilical (and Uterine).

NAVY, from lateral to medial: Nerve, Artery, Vein, Y-fronts (the empty femoral canal, containing lymph vessels and Cloquet's node).

"Tom, Dick And Very Nervous Harry": Tibialis posterior, flexor Digitorum longus, Artery, Vein, Nerve, flexor Hallucis longus.

"Gut, Butt, Caput": oesophageal varices, anorectal varices and caput medusae.

"CADET, face Right": CO₂, Acid, 2,3-DPG, Exercise and Temperature shift the curve to the right.

"1972": factors 10, 9, 7, 2, plus proteins C and S.

"PT is a WET game": the PT monitors Warfarin and the Extrinsic pathway. "HIP" for the aPTT: it monitors Heparin and the Intrinsic Pathway.

"All Physicians Take Money": Aortic, Pulmonary, Tricuspid, Mitral.

RILE: Right-sided murmurs get louder on Inspiration, Left-sided murmurs on Expiration.

"MR. ASS": Mitral Regurgitation and Aortic Stenosis are Systolic. "MS. ARD": Mitral Stenosis and Aortic Regurgitation are Diastolic.

"Indomethacin closes, PGE keeps the duct open."

"I 8 10 Eggs At 12": IVC passes at T8, oEsophagus at T10, Aorta at T12.

"C3, 4, 5 keeps the diaphragm alive" — the phrenic nerve is the sole motor supply of each hemidiaphragm.

"CADET, face Right": CO2, Acid (H+), DPG (2,3-BPG), Exercise, Temperature — all lower affinity and favour O2 unloading.

"RALS": on the Right the pulmonary artery is Anterior to the main bronchus; on the Left it is Superior. The right upper lobe bronchus arises above the artery (eparterial bronchus).

"6–8–10" for the inferior lung border and "8–10–12" for the inferior pleural reflection at the midclavicular line, mid-axillary line and paravertebral line respectively. The difference is the costodiaphragmatic recess.

"Sphenoid sits high, tears drain low, everything else goes to the middle": sphenoid sinus → sphenoethmoidal recess; posterior ethmoidal cells → superior meatus; frontal, maxillary, anterior and middle ethmoidal cells → middle meatus; nasolacrimal duct → inferior meatus.

"PCA Pulls Cords Apart" — posterior cricoarytenoid is the only abductor. All intrinsic laryngeal muscles are supplied by the recurrent laryngeal nerve except cricothyroid (external laryngeal nerve), the "singer's muscle" that tenses the cords.

"Sphenoid sits high (spheno-ethmoidal recess), tears drain low (inferior meatus), posterior ethmoids go superior, and everything else goes to the middle."

Unpaired: "The Cat Eats" (Thyroid, Cricoid, Epiglottis). Paired: "All Cute Cats" (Arytenoid, Corniculate, Cuneiform).

"PCA Pulls Cords Apart" — posterior cricoarytenoid abducts; "Lateral Lets them meet" — lateral cricoarytenoid adducts.

"Right has thRee": the right lung has three lobes and two fissures; the left has two lobes and one fissure.

"A Pig Ate Lots of Mice; Super Mice Are Like Pigs" — Apical, Posterior, Anterior (upper); Lateral, Medial (middle); Superior, Medial basal, Anterior basal, Lateral basal, Posterior basal (lower).

Right: artery Anterior to the bronchus; Left: artery Superior to the bronchus. Phrenic in front, vagus behind.

Lungs: 6–8–10. Pleura: 8–10–12 (midclavicular, mid-axillary, paravertebral lines).

"I 8 10 Eggs At 12" — IVC T8, oesophagus T10, aorta T12. (Also: "vena cava has 8 letters, oesophagus 10, aortic hiatus 12".)

"C3, 4, 5 keeps the diaphragm alive."

A capacity is always the sum of two or more volumes. "FRC = ERV + RV — FRC is what's left in the End Recoil position."

"CADET, face Right" — CO2, Acid, 2,3-DPG, Exercise, Temperature.

Suprarenal (adrenal) glands · Aorta and IVC · Duodenum (2nd–4th parts) · Pancreas (except the tail) · Ureters · Colon (ascending and descending) · Kidneys · Esophagus (thoracic and most of the abdominal part) · Rectum (middle and lower thirds).

Found in about 2% of people · about 2 feet (60 cm) proximal to the ileocaecal valve · about 2 inches (5 cm) long · 2 types of ectopic mucosa (gastric and pancreatic) · usually presents before age 2 · about 2:1 male predominance. It is a true diverticulum on the antimesenteric border.

Idiopathic · Gallstones · Ethanol · Trauma · Steroids · Mumps (and other viruses) · Autoimmune · Scorpion venom · Hypercalcaemia / Hypertriglyceridaemia · ERCP · Drugs (e.g. azathioprine, valproate, thiazides).

Female · Fat (obese) · Fertile (pregnancy, oestrogens) · Forty (age over 40) · Fair. It is a crude but memorable summary of the risk factors for cholesterol stones.

"To Zanzibar By Motor Car": Temporal · Zygomatic · Buccal · Marginal mandibular · Cervical.

Permanent: 2-1-2-3 (incisors, canine, premolars, molars) × 4 = 32. Deciduous: 2-1-0-2 × 4 = 20, with no premolars in the deciduous set.

Coeliac trunk at T12 (foregut) · superior mesenteric artery at L1 (midgut) · inferior mesenteric artery at L3 (hindgut). Each supplies one embryological gut segment and matches a site of referred pain: epigastric, umbilical and hypogastric.

Medial to the inferior epigastric vessels = Direct; Lateral = Indirect.

Genioglossus, hyoglossus and styloglossus are all hypoglossal. Palatoglossus is a palatal muscle and, like the other palatal muscles except tensor veli palatini, is supplied by the vagus.

Permanent 2-1-2-3, deciduous 2-1-0-2 per quadrant, multiplied by 4 for the whole mouth (32 and 20).

"To Zanzibar By Motor Car": Temporal, Zygomatic, Buccal, Marginal mandibular, Cervical.

2% · 2 feet from the ileocaecal valve · 2 inches long · 2 ectopic tissues · presents before age 2 · about 2:1 male.

Taeniae coli · Haustra · Epiploic (omental) appendices. None of them are found on the small bowel or the rectum.

Above the line it is all "Internal": Internal haemorrhoids, Insensate (visceral), drained to the Internal iliac and Inferior mesenteric nodes. Below the line the rules are reversed: External, Excruciating, and drained to the groin (superficial inguinal nodes).

"DAVe": the bile Duct lies anterior and to the right, the hepatic Artery anterior and to the left, and the portal Vein posterior to both.

Female, Fat, Fertile, Forty, Fair.

Idiopathic, Gallstones, Ethanol, Trauma, Steroids, Mumps, Autoimmune, Scorpion venom, Hypercalcaemia/Hypertriglyceridaemia, ERCP, Drugs.

Suprarenals, Aorta/IVC, Duodenum (2–4), Pancreas (except tail), Ureters, Colon (ascending/descending), Kidneys, Esophagus, Rectum (lower two-thirds).

Front: the "portal triad" (hepatoduodenal ligament). Back: the "big vein" (IVC). Roof: the caudate lobe. Floor: the duodenum (1st part).

Suprarenal glands · Aorta/IVC · Duodenum (2nd–4th parts) · Pancreas (except tail) · Ureters · Colon (ascending, descending) · Kidneys · Esophagus · Rectum (lower two-thirds).

Coeliac T12, SMA L1, IMA L3. Foregut, midgut, hindgut; epigastric, umbilical, suprapubic pain.

VAP — Vein, Artery, Pelvis (renal vein most anterior, renal pelvis/ureter most posterior).

Water under the bridge — the ureter (water) passes under the uterine artery in females and under the ductus (vas) deferens in males. Risk to the ureter when ligating the uterine artery at hysterectomy.

A WET BED — Acid–base balance, Water balance, Erythropoietin, Toxin and waste removal, Blood pressure (renin), Electrolytes, vitamin D activation.

AEIOU — Acidosis (severe metabolic), Electrolytes (refractory hyperkalaemia), Intoxication with dialysable drugs (SLIME: Salicylates, Lithium, Isopropanol/methanol, Metformin, Ethylene glycol), Overload of fluid (refractory pulmonary oedema), Uraemia (pericarditis, encephalopathy, bleeding).

PMS — Prostatic (widest, most dilatable), Membranous (shortest; passes through the external sphincter; injured in pelvic fractures), Spongy/penile (longest; injured in straddle injuries).

POSTCARDS — Pyelonephritis, Obstruction, Sickle cell disease, Tuberculosis, Cirrhosis, Analgesics (NSAIDs), Renal vein thrombosis, Diabetes mellitus, Systemic vasculitis.

Parasympathetic = Pee (S2–S4 pelvic splanchnics, M3 → detrusor contracts). Sympathetic = Storage (T11–L2 hypogastric, β3 relaxes detrusor, α1 closes the bladder neck). "S2, 3, 4 keeps the pee off the floor" — the pudendal nerve to the external sphincter.

VAP — Vein, Artery, Pelvis from anterior to posterior.

Vein — Artery — Pelvis, anterior to posterior.

"Please Let Dr Come" — PCT, Loop of Henle, DCT, Collecting duct.

"Loops Lose Calcium" (hypercalciuria) — whereas thiazides retain calcium.

"ATII is VAST" — Vasoconstriction, Aldosterone release, Sodium (PCT) and water retention with thirst and ADH, Tightens the efferent arteriole (maintains GFR).

The ureter (water) passes beneath the uterine artery or ductus deferens (the bridge).

Prostatic — Membranous — Spongy (proximal → distal).

65–25–5–3: PCT ≈65%, loop ≈25%, DCT ≈5%, collecting duct ≈3%.

Parasympathetic = Pee; Sympathetic = Storage; "S2, 3, 4 keeps the pee off the floor."

SEVEN UP: Seminiferous tubules → Epididymis → Vas (ductus) deferens → Ejaculatory duct → (Nothing) → Urethra → Penis.

Point, Squeeze and Shoot: Parasympathetic → erection (Point); Sympathetic → emission (Squeeze); Somatic (pudendal) → ejaculation (Shoot).

The ureter passes under the uterine artery (≈2 cm lateral to the cervix) in women and under the ductus deferens in men — a classic site of ureteric injury in hysterectomy.

I Am In: Infundibulum (fimbriae) → Ampulla (fertilisation, ectopic) → Isthmus (ligation) → Intramural (uterine) part.

3 arteries (testicular, cremasteric, artery to ductus deferens), 3 veins (pampiniform plexus, cremasteric vein, vein of ductus), 3 nerves (genital branch of genitofemoral, sympathetic testicular plexus; ilioinguinal runs alongside, outside the cord), 3 other (ductus deferens, lymphatics, processus vaginalis remnant). 3 coverings: external spermatic fascia, cremasteric muscle and fascia, internal spermatic fascia.

Peripheral = Palpable and Prostate cancer (≈70 %); Transition = Too big (BPH); Central = surrounds the ejaculatory Channels.

4 Ts: Tone (uterine atony — commonest), Trauma (tears), Tissue (retained placenta), Thrombin (coagulopathy).

The ureter (water) passes under the ductus deferens (bridge) behind the bladder.

3 arteries, 3 veins, 3 nerves, 3 others and 3 coverings.

Peripheral = Palpable, Prostate cancer; Transition = Too big (BPH).

I Am In — Infundibulum, Ampulla, Isthmus, Intramural.

3 Ps: Powers (contractions and maternal effort), Passenger (fetal size, presentation, position), Passage (bony pelvis and soft tissues).

FLAT PiG: FSH, LH, ACTH, TSH, Prolactin, (i), GH. The B-FLAT hormones (FSH, LH, ACTH, TSH) come from Basophils; GH and prolactin come from acidophils.

GFR from outside in — zona Glomerulosa, Fasciculata, Reticularis — make salt, sugar, sex (aldosterone, cortisol, androgens): "the deeper you go, the sweeter it gets".

Go Look For The Adenoma Please: GH, LH, FSH, TSH, ACTH, Prolactin (prolactin is preserved or rises because the stalk effect removes dopamine inhibition).

cAMP (Gs): FLAT ChAMP — FSH, LH, ACTH, TSH, CRH, hCG, ADH (V2), MSH, PTH (+ calcitonin, GHRH, glucagon). IP₃ (Gq): GOAT HAG — GnRH, Oxytocin, ADH (V1), TRH, Histamine (H1), Angiotensin II, Gastrin. JAK–STAT: PIGGlET — Prolactin, Immunomodulators (cytokines), GH, G-CSF, Leptin, Erythropoietin, Thrombopoietin.

Stones, bones, abdominal groans, thrones and psychiatric overtones — renal calculi, bone pain/fractures, abdominal pain/constipation/pancreatitis, polyuria, depression/confusion.

5 Ps: Pressure (hypertension), Pain (headache), Perspiration, Palpitations, Pallor. Block α before β.

MEN1 = 3 Ps (Pituitary, Parathyroid, Pancreas). MEN2A = 2 Ps + 1 M (Parathyroid, Phaeochromocytoma, Medullary thyroid carcinoma). MEN2B = 1 P + 2 Ms (Phaeochromocytoma, Medullary carcinoma, Marfanoid habitus/Mucosal neuromas).

TAN HATS: Thirst and water balance, Adenohypophysis control, Neurohypophysis release, Hunger and satiety, Autonomic regulation, Temperature, Sexual behaviour (and circadian rhythm).

TAN HATS — Thirst, Adenohypophysis, Neurohypophysis, Hunger, Autonomic, Temperature, Sexual behaviour.

FLAT PiG — FSH, LH, ACTH, TSH, Prolactin, GH.

Trap, Oxidise, Organify, Couple, Store, Release, Recycle — NIS, TPO, TPO, TPO, colloid, proteolysis, deiodinase.

GFR — salt, sugar, sex: Glomerulosa → aldosterone; Fasciculata → cortisol; Reticularis → androgens.

Brain maturation, Bone growth, β-adrenergic effects (heart rate, contractility), Basal metabolic rate ↑.

PTH = Phosphate Trashing Hormone: it dumps phosphate in the proximal tubule while saving calcium distally.

Spleen measures ≈ 1 × 3 × 5 inches, weighs ≈ 7 oz (≈ 150–200 g) and lies deep to ribs 9–11 on the left.

In order of abundance: Neutrophils (≈ 60%) > Lymphocytes (≈ 30%) > Monocytes (≈ 6%) > Eosinophils (≈ 3%) > Basophils (< 1%) — roughly "60, 30, 6, 3, 1".

Type I Anaphylactic/allergic (IgE, minutes); Type II Cytotoxic (IgG/IgM against cell-bound antigen); Type III Immune-complex; Type IV Delayed (T-cell, 48–72 h).

G crosses the placenta (Gestation) and dominates secondary responses; A guards mucosae (Airways, gut) as a secretory dimer; M is the Mammoth pentamer, Made first; E Elicits allergy and fights helminths via mast cells; D is on naive B cells with IgM (Don't know much else).

IL-1 = hot (fever); IL-2 = stimulates T cells; IL-3 = stimulates bone marrow; IL-4 = IgE; IL-5 = IgA (and eosinophils); IL-6 = aKute-phase proteins (CRP).

MHC I × CD8 = 8; MHC II × CD4 = 8. Class I (all nucleated cells) presents to CD8 cytotoxic T cells; class II (antigen-presenting cells) presents to CD4 helper T cells.

Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae type b, Neisseria meningitidis — the classic killers after splenectomy (also Salmonella, Klebsiella, group B streptococcus).

Cardiac defects, Abnormal facies, Thymic hypoplasia (T-cell deficiency), Cleft palate, Hypocalcaemia (hypoparathyroidism) — deletion on chromosome 22 (22q11.2).

"The duck between two gooses" — the thoracic duct lies between the az-ygos vein and the a-orta.

"Old Rats Prefer Soft Sugar" — Occipital, Retroauricular, Parotid, Submandibular, Submental.

The three peripheral groups — anterior (pectoral), posterior (subscapular) and lateral (humeral) — drain to the central group, which drains to the apical group; the apical nodes form the subclavian trunk. Levels I → II → III follow the same order relative to pectoralis minor.

"Cortex before Medulla, + before −": positive selection in the cortex (can you see self-MHC at all?), negative selection in the medulla (do you react too strongly to self?).

Yolk sac (from week 3) → Liver (main fetal site, from ≈ week 6) → Spleen (minor) → Bone marrow (dominant from the third trimester and after birth).

≈ 1 inch thick, 3 inches wide, 5 inches long, weighs ≈ 7 oz, lies between ribs 9 and 11.

Neutrophils > Lymphocytes > Monocytes > Eosinophils > Basophils (≈ 60 : 30 : 6 : 3 : 1 %).

Basophils, Eosinophils, Neutrophils are the granulocytes; monocytes and lymphocytes are agranulocytes.

HyperCalcaemia, Renal failure, Anaemia, Bone lesions.

Th1 fights the 1-celled (intracellular microbes) with IFN-γ and macrophages; Th2 fights the 2-big (worms) with IL-4, IL-5 and IL-13 — and causes allergy.

G — crosses the placenta, dominates secondary responses; A — mucosal dimer (tears, saliva, milk); M — Mammoth pentamer, Made first; E — allErgy and worms (mast cells); D — on naive B cells with IgM.

C3b binds bacteria (opsonin); C3a, C4a, C5a cause anaphylaxis-like effects (anaphylatoxins); C5a = chemotaxis; C5b–9 = MAC; deficiency of C5–C9 = recurrent Neisseria ("N**ine").

MHC I × CD8 = 8; MHC II × CD4 = 8.

Class I has one letter (A, B, C); class II has two letters (DP, DQ, DR).

IL-1 hot (fever), IL-2 T cells, IL-3 bone marrow, IL-4 IgE, IL-5 IgA and eosinophils, IL-6 aKute-phase proteins. Bonus: IL-8 "clean up on aisle 8" — neutrophil recruitment; IL-10 calms things down; IL-12 makes Th1.

Active — you make it (slow, lasting, memory). Passive — you take it (fast, short, no memory).

Rubor, calor, tumor, dolor — and functio laesa: red, hot, swollen, painful and not working.

Type I — Anaphylactic/allergic (IgE); Type II — Cytotoxic (antibody against cells); Type III — Immune complex; Type IV — Delayed (T cells). Types I–III are antibody-mediated; type IV is cell-mediated — the "4th T": T cells.

"Come, Let's Get Sun Burned" — stratum Corneum, Lucidum (thick skin only), Granulosum, Spinosum, Basale.

ABCDE — Asymmetry, Border irregularity, Colour variation, Diameter >6 mm, Evolving (changing size, shape, colour, or new symptoms such as bleeding or itch).

Head 9, each arm 9, front of trunk 18 (2 × 9), back of trunk 18, each leg 18, perineum 1 = 100%.

"Meissner = Moving touch, Merkel = Maintained pressure, Pacinian = Pulsing vibration, Ruffini = stRetch." Meissner and Pacinian are rapidly adapting; Merkel and Ruffini are slowly adapting.

Anagen = Active growth (years), Catagen = Collapse/regression (weeks), Telogen = Time-out/resting (months), then eXogen = eXit (shedding).

Sebaceous = Self-destructive (holocrine — whole cell becomes secretion); eccrine = Exocytosis (merocrine).

"Come, Let's Get Sun Burned" — Corneum, Lucidum, Granulosum, Spinosum, Basale.

Merkel = Maintained pressure (slowly adapting) — and the finest map of shapes.

Anagen = Active; Catagen = Collapse; Telogen = Time-out; eXogen = eXit.

Sebaceous = Self-destructive: the whole cell (holo-) becomes the secretion.

Lateral Rectus — CN 6 (abducens); Superior Oblique — CN 4 (trochlear); the Rest — CN 3 (oculomotor: superior, inferior and medial rectus, inferior oblique, and levator palpebrae superioris).

Recti ADduct (superior and inferior rectus), Superiors INtort (superior rectus and superior oblique). By exclusion the obliques abduct and the inferiors extort. Test vertical recti in abduction and obliques in adduction ("look in, then up/down for obliques").

"Really Patient Ophthalmologists Often Observe Inner Images Giving New Insight": RPE, Photoreceptor layer, Outer limiting membrane, Outer nuclear, Outer plexiform, Inner nuclear, Inner plexiform, Ganglion cell layer, Nerve fibre layer, Inner limiting membrane.

Eighth nerve → Cochlear nuclei → superior Olivary complex → Lateral lemniscus → Inferior colliculus → Medial geniculate nucleus → Auditory cortex (transverse temporal gyri).

"My Zany Sister Finds Excellent Lemon Pies": Maxilla, Zygomatic, Sphenoid, Frontal, Ethmoid, Lacrimal, Palatine.

Cold Opposite, Warm Same: the fast phase of nystagmus beats away from a cold-irrigated ear and towards a warm-irrigated ear (in a conscious patient with an intact brainstem).

"Many Infants Scream": Malleus (hammer) → Incus (anvil) → Stapes (stirrup).

Anterior two-thirds of the tongue → VII (chorda tympani); posterior third including the circumvallate papillae → IX; epiglottis and pharynx → X. All converge on the nucleus of the solitary tract.

"My Zany Sister Finds Excellent Lemon Pies" — Maxilla, Zygomatic, Sphenoid, Frontal, Ethmoid, Lacrimal, Palatine.

"Lazy French Tarts Sit Naked In Anticipation" — Lacrimal, Frontal, Trochlear (above the ring); Superior division of III, Nasociliary, Inferior division of III, Abducens (through the ring).

Lateral rectus — VI, superior oblique — IV, the rest — III.

Recti ADduct, Superiors INtort; obliques abduct, inferiors extort.

"Really Patient Ophthalmologists Often Observe Inner Images Giving New Insight" — RPE, Photoreceptors, OLM, ONL, OPL, INL, IPL, GCL, NFL, ILM.

"Light → less cGMP → channels close → hyperpolarise → less glutamate." Photoreceptors are the only major sensory receptors that hyperpolarise to their stimulus.

Layers 1–6 receive Contralateral, Ipsilateral, Ipsilateral, Contralateral, Ipsilateral, Contralateral eye input (C-I-I-C-I-C).

"PITS" — Parietal = Inferior quadrant, Temporal = Superior quadrant (contralateral, homonymous).

"ARP — Accommodation Reflex Present, Pupillary reflex absent" (accommodates but does not react).

"Tensor Tympani — Trigeminal; Stapedius — Seventh."

"Seven-Up, Coke down": facial nerve (VII) anterosuperior, cochlear nerve anteroinferior.

"LARP and RALP" — Left Anterior with Right Posterior; Right Anterior with Left Posterior; the lateral canals pair with each other.

Eighth nerve → Cochlear nuclei → superior Olive → Lateral lemniscus → Inferior colliculus → Medial geniculate → Auditory cortex.

Nystagmus is named after its fast phase; in peripheral lesions it beats away from the hypofunctioning (damaged) side.

"Smell skips the thalamus": every other sense relays in the thalamus before reaching its primary cortex; olfaction goes straight to piriform cortex and reaches the thalamus (mediodorsal nucleus) only secondarily.

"Filiform = Feel only" — all others (fungiform, foliate, circumvallate) have taste buds.

"Taste goes Solo (solitary tract), VIP (VPM), then In (insula)."

Be So Totally Cool, Read Books — Type I: Bone, Skin, Tendon (≈90 % of body collagen); Type II: Cartilage (and vitreous, nucleus pulposus); Type III: Reticulin (blood vessels, granulation tissue, lymphoid stroma); Type IV: Basement membrane.

PPMAT — "Please Pee on the MAT": Prophase, Prometaphase, Metaphase, Anaphase, Telophase (then cytokinesis).

U Are Away · U Are Gone · U Go Away — UAA, UAG, UGA. Start codon: AUG (methionine).

Kinesin kicks it out, dynein drags it in — kinesin moves cargo toward the plus end (anterograde, cell periphery/axon terminal); dynein moves toward the minus end (retrograde, centrosome/cell body).

The 3 Es — Ear (auricle and external acoustic meatus), Epiglottis, Eustachian (auditory) tube.

Gq: "HAVe 1 M&M" — H1, α1, V1, M1, M3. Gi: "MAD 2s" — M2, α2, D2. Most others (β1–3, D1, H2, V2) are Gs.

"HUGs take two" — Haem synthesis, Urea cycle and Gluconeogenesis use both compartments.

"Buy AT 30, CCEL (sell) at 50" — Aminoglycosides, Tetracyclines (30S); Chloramphenicol, Clindamycin, Erythromycin, Linezolid (50S).

COPII goes forward (ER → Golgi, anterograde); COP I goes back (Golgi → ER, retrograde); clathrin carries cargo from the trans-Golgi to endosomes/lysosomes and from the plasma membrane inward.

"No man picks (his nose) with his sphinger" — sphingomyelinase deficiency.

"Hunters see clearly and aim for the X" — Hunter syndrome is X-linked with no corneal clouding; Hurler has corneal clouding.

13, 14, 15, 21, 22 — "the five acrocentrics". Their short arms carry the rRNA genes.

UV → NER (XP = "Xtremely Photosensitive"); replication mismatch → MMR (Lynch); double-strand break → HR (BRCA) or NHEJ; single base → BER.

UAA — U Are Away; UAG — U Are Gone; UGA — U Go Away.

"Pump 3 out, 2 in" — per ATP the Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase expels 3 Na⁺ and takes up 2 K⁺; the net loss of one positive charge per cycle makes it electrogenic.

Gq: "HAVe 1 M&M" (H1, α1, V1, M1, M3). Gi: "MAD 2s" (M2, α2, D2). Gs: β1, β2, β3, D1, H2, V2.

Kinesin kicks it out (+), dynein drags it in (−).

"Tight, Adhere, Desmo" — zonula occludens, zonula adherens, macula adherens; then hemidesmosomes at the base. Gap junctions are scattered along the lateral membrane.

"Go Sally Go! Make Children" — G1, S, G2, Mitosis, Cytokinesis.

"I Picked My Apples Today" — Interphase, Prophase (+ Prometaphase), Metaphase, Anaphase, Telophase. Metaphase = Middle; Anaphase = Apart; Telophase = Two nuclei.

"Lazy Zebras Prefer Dozing Daily" — Leptotene, Zygotene, Pachytene, Diplotene, Diakinesis.

Holocrine = the wHOLE cell; Apocrine = the APex is lost; Merocrine = MERE exocytosis.

"Be So Totally Cool, Read Books" — I: Bone, Skin, Tendon; II: Cartilage; III: Reticulin; IV: Basement membrane.

Hydroxylation in the RER needs vitamin C; cross-linking outside the cell needs copper.

The 3 Es: Ear (auricle, external meatus), Epiglottis, Eustachian (auditory) tube.