MD · Anatomy

Anatomy thesis topics, with the design and feasibility for each

An anatomy thesis is decided by material: how many dry bones of the right type the department holds, how many cadavers come for dissection in an academic year, and whether foetal or placental specimens can be obtained with proper consent. Cadaveric and foetal work needs written departmental permission alongside institutional ethics clearance, and radiological anatomy on archived scans needs a waiver of consent from the committee rather than an assumption that old images are free to use. Examiners press on the definition of every landmark, on who measured and with what instrument, and on whether the same measurement repeated a week later gives the same number.

Topic register · 44 entries · 7 designs^[6]

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NMC PGMER-2023
NBEMS 180 days / 26 months
UGC 2018 · under 10%
ICMR 2017 · ethics

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Filter by design or by feasibility, or search the titles and outcomes. Filtering only hides entries: every topic stays on the page, so nothing is lost if you clear the filters or arrive by a deep link.

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Study design

Feasibility in a teaching unit

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Showing 44 of 44 topics

The sample figure on each plate is a planning range read off the design, not a calculated answer. Your own number comes from a calculation against your own assumptions — the difference you would call clinically meaningful, the variability in your setting, the power you want — and it belongs in the synopsis with those assumptions written beside it.

Topic 01 / 44
Link to this entry
Morphometric study of the foramen magnum in adult dry skulls
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Anteroposterior and transverse diameters, calculated area and index, with the distribution of shape types
Collection time
6 to 9 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 100 to 150 skulls, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- A collection of intact adult dry skulls in the departmental museum or dissection store
- A digital vernier calliper with a stated least count
- Written departmental permission to handle and measure museum specimens
What derails it
Damaged or eroded basal margins make the boundary unmeasurable, and a museum collection has many such skulls, so define an inclusion criterion for margin integrity and count how many specimens you had to reject.
Topic 02 / 44
Link to this entry
Morphometry and variations of the sacral hiatus in dry human sacra
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Shape distribution of the hiatus, its apex and base levels, the anteroposterior diameter at the apex and the distance from the sacral cornua
Collection time
6 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 80 to 140 sacra, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- A set of adult dry sacra of known provenance within the department
- A digital calliper and a goniometer for the angular measurements
- Departmental permission, with specimens returned to their labelled place
What derails it
The clinical point of this study is caudal epidural access, so the measurements must include the depth at the apex and not only the shape, because a shape distribution alone will be questioned as having no use.
Topic 03 / 44
Link to this entry
Morphometry of the glenoid cavity of the scapula and its shape variation in dry bones
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Superoinferior and anteroposterior diameters, glenoid index and the distribution of notched and non-notched shapes
Collection time
6 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 100 to 160 scapulae, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- A set of adult dry scapulae with both sides available where possible
- A digital vernier calliper and a written landmark definition sheet
- Departmental permission for museum material
What derails it
Side identification is lost when bones are stored loose in a sack, so separate and label sides before measuring, because a left and right analysis cannot be reconstructed afterwards.
Topic 04 / 44
Link to this entry
Variations in the shape of the suprascapular notch and the presence of a complete foramen in dry scapulae
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Distribution of notch types by a named classification and the proportion with a completely ossified superior transverse ligament
Collection time
6 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 120 to 200 scapulae, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- A scapular collection large enough for an uncommon variant to appear
- A published classification applied by two independent observers
- A digital calliper for the notch dimensions
What derails it
Notch type classification is subjective at the boundaries, so have a second observer classify every bone and report agreement, because an uncorroborated type distribution is the easiest thing for an examiner to dispute.
Topic 05 / 44
Link to this entry
Neck-shaft angle and related femoral measurements in adult dry femora
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Neck-shaft angle, neck length and head diameter, with side-wise comparison
Collection time
6 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 100 to 160 femora, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- Adult dry femora without deformity, stored with side identification
- An osteometric board and a goniometer with a written measurement protocol
- A fixed way of positioning the bone for angle measurement
What derails it
The angle changes with how the femur is laid on the board, so define the resting position precisely, photograph the setup once and repeat a sample of measurements on a different day to show your own repeatability.
Topic 06 / 44
Link to this entry
Number, position and direction of nutrient foramina in dry long bones of the lower limb
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Number and position of nutrient foramina expressed by a foraminal index, with the direction of the canal recorded
Collection time
6 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 120 to 200 bones, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- Dry tibiae and femora in adequate number
- A fine probe to confirm that a hole is a patent nutrient canal
- A measuring tape or osteometric board for the index
What derails it
A vascular impression and a true nutrient foramen look alike and the count depends entirely on that judgement, so define patency by probe entry and have a second observer verify a sample of bones.
Topic 07 / 44
Link to this entry
Types and position of the pterion in adult dry skulls and its distance from bony landmarks
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Distribution of pterion types and the distance from the frontozygomatic suture and the zygomatic arch on each side
Collection time
6 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 80 to 140 skulls, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- Intact adult dry skulls with the sutural pattern visible on both sides
- A digital calliper and a named classification for the types
- Good lighting and magnification, since sutures are hard to trace on weathered bone
- Written departmental permission for access to museum skulls
What derails it
Sutures on old museum skulls are obscured by fusion and surface erosion, so state how you handled a skull whose suture pattern was unreadable on one side, rather than assigning it the type found on the other.
Topic 08 / 44
Link to this entry
Morphometry of lumbar vertebral pedicles on CT images of adults
DesignRetrospectiveFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Pedicle width, height and transverse angle at each lumbar level, by sex
Collection time
6 to 9 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 80 to 140 individuals, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- Access to an archive of lumbar CT images of adequate slice thickness
- A workstation allowing multiplanar reformatting and on-screen measurement
- A waiver of consent from the ethics committee and permission from the radiology head of department
What derails it
Measurements made on a printed film or a low-resolution export are not comparable with workstation measurements, so secure workstation access for the whole study and record the slice thickness of every scan used.
Topic 09 / 44
Link to this entry
Variations in renal arterial pattern on CT angiography of adults
DesignRetrospectiveFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Proportion with accessory or early-branching renal arteries, by side, with the level of origin recorded
Collection time
6 to 9 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 120 to 200 individuals, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- An archive of abdominal CT angiograms of diagnostic arterial phase quality
- Reformatting software and a trained eye, ideally verified by a radiologist
- A waiver of consent and radiology departmental permission
What derails it
A poorly timed arterial phase hides small accessory vessels entirely, so set an image-quality criterion and have a radiologist confirm a sample, because a missed accessory artery is recorded as an absence rather than as a failure to see.
Topic 10 / 44
Link to this entry
Variations in the branching pattern of the coeliac trunk observed during routine cadaveric dissection
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Distribution of branching patterns by a named classification, with the length and diameter of the trunk
Collection time
two academic dissection sessions, about 15 to 18 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 30 to 60 cadavers, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- A cadaver allotment large enough across two teaching sessions
- Written departmental and institutional permission for study dissection alongside teaching
- A photographic record with a scale in each frame
What derails it
Teaching dissection destroys the region before you reach it if the students work first, so agree with the department which cadavers are dissected for the study and in what order, before the academic session begins.
Topic 11 / 44
Link to this entry
Level of division of the sciatic nerve and its relation to the piriformis in cadaveric dissection
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Distribution of division level relative to stated bony landmarks and the relation of the divisions to the piriformis
Collection time
two dissection sessions, about 15 to 18 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 30 to 60 gluteal regions, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- Cadavers allotted for gluteal dissection with both sides available
- Departmental and institutional permission, with the dissection plan recorded
- A measuring tape or calliper and a fixed landmark definition
What derails it
Formalin-fixed tissue shortens and distorts, so all distances must be measured from bony landmarks rather than from soft tissue, and the fixation period should be recorded for each cadaver.
Topic 12 / 44
Link to this entry
Variations in the formation and branching of the brachial plexus in cadaveric dissection
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Proportion of plexuses showing a variation from the textbook pattern, classified by the component involved
Collection time
two dissection sessions, about 15 to 18 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 30 to 60 plexuses, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- Cadaveric upper limbs dissected under supervision with the region intact
- Departmental and institutional permission for study dissection
- Photographic documentation of each variation with a scale
What derails it
A variation claimed from a single photograph will be challenged, so document each finding with photographs from two angles and have a faculty member countersign the observation sheet at the table.
Topic 13 / 44
Link to this entry
Absence of the palmaris longus tendon assessed by clinical tests in healthy volunteers
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Proportion with an absent tendon on each side by a named clinical test, with bilateral and unilateral absence recorded
Collection time
4 to 6 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 300 to 500 participants, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- A written description of the standard and alternative tests, applied in a fixed order
- Ethics approval and consent, since living participants are examined
- A second observer for a sample to check agreement
What derails it
The standard test gives a false absence in muscular forearms, so apply at least two described tests in a fixed sequence and report how often they disagreed, because a single test result cannot settle absence.
Topic 14 / 44
Link to this entry
Estimation of stature from hand and foot dimensions in young adults
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Regression equations relating hand length, hand breadth and foot length to measured stature, with the standard error of estimate
Collection time
6 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 200 to 350 participants, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- A stadiometer and a digital calliper or sliding calliper with defined landmarks
- A single observer for all measurements, with a repeat on a sample
- Ethics approval and consent from living participants
What derails it
Stature must be measured at a stated time of day because height falls through the day, so fix the measurement window and record it, since a morning and evening mix adds a systematic error to every equation.
Topic 15 / 44
Link to this entry
Validation of published stature estimation equations from percutaneous long bone measurements in a local adult population
DesignDiagnostic accuracyFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Difference between stature predicted by published equations and measured stature, with limits of agreement for each equation
Collection time
9 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 150 to 250 participants, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- Defined percutaneous landmarks with a written measurement protocol
- A stadiometer checked against a standard
- Published equations whose original landmark definitions are available
What derails it
Equations from another population use landmarks defined slightly differently, so read the original description before measuring, because using your own landmark and the other study's equation produces a false disagreement.
Topic 16 / 44
Link to this entry
Cephalic index and head shape distribution in young adults of a defined local population
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Cephalic index with the distribution of head shape categories by a named classification, by sex
Collection time
6 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 250 to 400 participants, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- Spreading callipers with a stated least count
- A written landmark definition and a single observer
- Ethics approval and consent from living participants
What derails it
Hair volume and hairstyle change the maximum breadth reading, so press the calliper to the scalp by a stated method and record any participant whose hairstyle prevented that, rather than measuring over the hair.
Topic 17 / 44
Link to this entry
Distribution of fingerprint patterns and total ridge count in healthy young adults
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Frequency of loop, whorl and arch patterns per digit and the total ridge count, by sex
Collection time
6 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 200 to 350 participants, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- Duplicating ink and a rolling technique, or a digital scanner, used consistently
- A magnifying lens for ridge counting
- Ethics approval and consent, with a clear statement that prints are not retained with identity
What derails it
Fingerprints are identifying information, so the protocol must say how prints are coded, stored and destroyed, and the committee will ask this before anything about the anatomy.
Topic 18 / 44
Link to this entry
Fingerprint pattern distribution in patients with a defined congenital condition compared with healthy participants
DesignCase-controlFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Difference in the frequency of pattern types and in total ridge count between the groups
Collection time
12 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 60 to 100 per group, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- A clinical department that can confirm the diagnosis by stated criteria
- A consistent printing technique applied to both groups by the same observer
- Ethics approval covering both groups, with consent from a guardian where needed
What derails it
Printing a patient with contractures or poor cooperation yields unreadable digits, so count unreadable digits as missing by a stated rule and report the proportion, because dropping those hands silently biases the pattern frequency.
Topic 19 / 44
Link to this entry
Placental weight, diameter and surface morphology and their relation to birth weight in term deliveries
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Correlation of placental weight, diameter and thickness with neonatal birth weight
Collection time
9 to 12 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 150 to 250 placentas, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- A collection arrangement with the labour room, including a container and a labelling system
- A weighing scale and a written protocol stating whether the cord and membranes are trimmed
- Ethics approval and consent from the mother for use of the placenta
What derails it
Placental weight changes with whether the cord and membranes were trimmed and how much blood was allowed to drain, so fix that protocol and follow it at every delivery, because this single decision dominates your measurements.
Topic 20 / 44
Link to this entry
Gross and histological features of the placenta in preeclamptic pregnancies compared with normotensive pregnancies
DesignCase-controlFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Difference in placental weight, infarct area and named histological features between the groups
Collection time
12 to 15 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 40 to 70 per group, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- Labour room collection with a consistent sampling protocol for both groups
- Histology facilities in the department or a pathology collaboration
- Clinical records for blood pressure and proteinuria to define the groups
- Ethics approval and maternal consent for use of the placenta, taken in both groups alike
What derails it
The control placentas are the ones that get thrown away, so the collection arrangement must cover normotensive deliveries at night and at weekends, or the two groups will differ by the hour of birth as much as by disease.
Topic 21 / 44
Link to this entry
Histogenesis of the human foetal kidney across gestational age groups
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityDemanding
Primary outcome
Stage-wise appearance of named histological features by gestational age group
Collection time
18 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 30 to 50 foetal specimens across gestational groups, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- A consented source of foetal specimens after spontaneous or legally terminated pregnancy, with documented gestational age
- Written institutional ethics approval and departmental permission for foetal material
- Histology processing with adequate fixation for delicate foetal tissue
What derails it
Consent for foetal specimens must be taken by a trained person in the obstetric unit and the refusal rate is high, so the recruitment window has to be long and every gestational group must fill, since a study with no early specimens cannot show histogenesis.
Topic 22 / 44
Link to this entry
Morphological and histological development of the human foetal lung across gestational age groups
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityDemanding
Primary outcome
Lung weight and lung to body weight ratio with the histological stage of development by gestational age group
Collection time
18 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 30 to 50 specimens, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- A consented supply of foetal specimens with reliable gestational dating
- Institutional ethics approval and written departmental permission
- A sensitive weighing scale and a standard sampling protocol per lobe
What derails it
Macerated specimens cannot be assessed histologically and a large share of spontaneous losses are macerated, so set an exclusion criterion for maceration and expect to screen far more specimens than you include.
Topic 23 / 44
Link to this entry
Morphometry of the human foetal cerebellum across gestational age groups
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityDemanding
Primary outcome
Transverse cerebellar diameter, vermis dimensions and weight by gestational age group
Collection time
18 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 30 to 50 specimens, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- Consented foetal specimens with documented gestational age
- Institutional ethics approval and departmental permission for foetal material
- A careful removal technique, since the foetal cerebellum is easily damaged
What derails it
The foetal brain is soft and deforms on removal, so a stated period of fixation in situ before dissection is essential and must be identical for every specimen, otherwise your measurements reflect handling more than growth.
Topic 24 / 44
Link to this entry
Morphometry of the thyroid gland and the relation of the recurrent laryngeal nerve to the inferior thyroid artery in cadaveric dissection
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Lobe dimensions and isthmus thickness, with the distribution of nerve to artery relationships on each side
Collection time
two dissection sessions, about 15 to 18 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 30 to 60 sides, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- Cadaveric neck regions dissected before student teaching reaches them
- Fine dissection instruments and magnification for nerve tracing
- Departmental and institutional permission with a recorded dissection plan
What derails it
The nerve is easily torn in a formalin-fixed neck and a torn nerve cannot be assigned a relationship, so dissect under magnification and record any side lost to damage as excluded rather than guessing the pattern.
Topic 25 / 44
Link to this entry
Variations in the arterial circle at the base of the brain in cadaveric specimens
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Proportion with a complete circle and the distribution of named variations in each component vessel
Collection time
15 to 18 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 40 to 70 brains, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- Brain specimens removed intact with the arteries preserved
- Departmental and institutional permission for specimen study
- A measuring calliper for vessel diameters and photographic documentation
What derails it
The communicating arteries are torn during routine brain removal far more often than residents expect, so a specimen must be excluded when a vessel is avulsed, and a high exclusion rate has to be planned for in your numbers.
Topic 26 / 44
Link to this entry
Position and length of the vermiform appendix in cadaveric dissection
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Distribution of appendicular positions and the mean length, with the base distance from named landmarks
Collection time
two dissection sessions, about 12 to 18 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 30 to 60 specimens, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- Abdominal dissection access before the region is disturbed by teaching
- A measuring tape and a written landmark definition
- Departmental and institutional permission, with observations recorded at the table
What derails it
The appendix moves when the caecum is mobilised, so the position must be recorded before any handling of the gut and the observation sheet signed at that moment, because a position noted after dissection is meaningless.
Topic 27 / 44
Link to this entry
Morphometry of the atlas vertebra and variations of the groove for the vertebral artery in dry bones
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Dimensions of the lateral masses and the proportion with a complete or partial arcuate foramen
Collection time
6 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 80 to 140 atlas vertebrae, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- A collection of adult atlas vertebrae in the department
- A digital calliper with a stated least count
- Two observers for classifying partial ossification
What derails it
Partial bridging is a judgement call and the proportion you report depends on where you set the threshold, so define partial and complete in writing with photographs of your own specimens and have a second observer apply the same definition.
Topic 28 / 44
Link to this entry
Mandibular measurements and their sexual dimorphism in dry bones of documented sex
DesignDiagnostic accuracyFeasibilityDemanding
Primary outcome
Accuracy of a discriminant function based on mandibular measurements for assigning sex, against the documented sex of the specimen
Collection time
9 to 12 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 60 to 120 mandibles of documented sex, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- A bone collection in which sex is documented, which is uncommon and must be verified first
- A digital calliper and a written landmark definition sheet
- Statistical support for discriminant function analysis
- Written departmental permission to handle and measure the collection
What derails it
Most departmental bone collections have no record of sex, and a study that assigns sex by morphology and then tests a formula against that assignment is circular, so confirm documented sex exists before proposing this.
Topic 29 / 44
Link to this entry
Sex estimation from pelvic measurements on CT images of adults of known sex
DesignDiagnostic accuracyFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Accuracy, sensitivity and specificity of a measurement-based rule for assigning sex, against the sex recorded in the hospital record
Collection time
9 to 12 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 80 to 140 individuals, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- An archive of pelvic CT scans with reliable demographic data
- Workstation measurement facilities with multiplanar reformatting
- A waiver of consent and radiology departmental permission
What derails it
Scans of patients with pelvic fracture or prior surgery must be excluded, and they make up a large part of any pelvic CT archive, so screen for that first and report how many records you rejected.
Topic 30 / 44
Link to this entry
Morphometry of the hard palate and the position of the greater palatine foramen in dry skulls
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Palatal length, breadth and index, with the distance of the greater palatine foramen from named landmarks
Collection time
6 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 80 to 140 skulls, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- Dry skulls with an intact palate and dentition recorded
- A digital calliper and a fine probe to confirm foramen patency
- Departmental permission for museum specimens
What derails it
Edentulous skulls have a resorbed alveolar margin which shifts every landmark measured from it, so record dental status for each skull and analyse edentulous specimens separately rather than pooling them.
Topic 31 / 44
Link to this entry
Dimensions of the sella turcica on midsagittal MRI images of adults
DesignRetrospectiveFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Length, depth and anteroposterior diameter of the sella turcica by age group and sex
Collection time
6 to 9 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 120 to 200 individuals, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- An archive of brain MRI studies with a true midsagittal image
- Workstation access for on-screen measurement with a fixed window setting
- A waiver of consent and radiology permission
What derails it
A scan angled off the true midline exaggerates every dimension, so define how you confirmed midsagittal alignment for each study and exclude those that fail that check.
Topic 32 / 44
Link to this entry
Morphometry of the calcaneum in dry bones with reference to its articular facets
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Maximum length, body height and the distribution of talar articular facet patterns
Collection time
6 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 100 to 160 calcanei, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- A set of adult dry calcanei with sides identified
- An osteometric board and a digital calliper
- A named classification for the facet patterns with two observers
What derails it
Facet patterns are classified differently in different published schemes, so name the scheme you used and illustrate each category with your own specimens, because a distribution reported under an unnamed scheme cannot be compared with anything.
Topic 33 / 44
Link to this entry
Variations in hepatic arterial anatomy observed in cadaveric dissection of the upper abdomen
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Distribution of hepatic arterial patterns by a named classification, with vessel origin and calibre recorded
Collection time
two dissection sessions, about 15 to 18 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 30 to 60 specimens, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- Upper abdominal dissection access with the hepatic pedicle intact
- Fine instruments and a camera with a scale for documentation
- Departmental and institutional permission for a study dissection plan
What derails it
The pedicle is routinely cut during routine teaching dissection of the stomach, so the study dissection must happen before that step and the order has to be agreed in writing with the faculty in charge of the session.
Topic 34 / 44
Link to this entry
Coronary arterial dominance and branching pattern in cadaveric hearts
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Distribution of right, left and balanced dominance with the length and branching of the named vessels
Collection time
15 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 40 to 70 hearts, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- Cadaveric hearts removed with the epicardial vessels preserved
- Probes and fine forceps for tracing vessels through epicardial fat
- Departmental and institutional permission, with photographic documentation
What derails it
Epicardial fat hides the terminal course of the posterior descending vessel, and dominance is assigned from exactly that vessel, so define how you dissected through the fat and exclude any heart where the origin could not be traced.
Topic 35 / 44
Link to this entry
Dimensions of the lumbar vertebral canal in dry vertebrae
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Anteroposterior and interpedicular diameters of the canal at each lumbar level, with the calculated index
Collection time
6 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 80 to 150 vertebrae, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- Dry lumbar vertebrae that can be assigned to a level with confidence
- A digital calliper with a depth gauge
- Departmental permission for museum material
What derails it
Loose vertebrae cannot always be assigned to a specific lumbar level, and an incorrectly assigned level corrupts the level-wise comparison, so state your identification criteria and exclude vertebrae you cannot assign.
Topic 36 / 44
Link to this entry
Annotated digital slide sessions compared with conventional microscope sessions for learning histology: a randomised comparison of post-session test performance
DesignRandomised controlledFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Score on a pre-validated post-session test of histological identification
Collection time
9 to 12 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 40 to 70 students per arm, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- Institutional and ethics approval for an educational intervention on students, with the committee's direction on whether trial registration is required
- Digital slides and a working projection or computer facility
- A test instrument validated with faculty review before use
What derails it
Students taught by the method that is not part of routine teaching may be disadvantaged in their university examination, so the protocol must guarantee that both groups receive the standard session as well, and the committee will insist on it.
Topic 37 / 44
Link to this entry
Perceptions of cadaveric dissection and prosection among first-year medical students
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Responses on a pre-tested questionnaire covering perceived usefulness, anxiety and preference, by stated domain
Collection time
4 to 6 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 150 to 250 students, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- A questionnaire pre-tested on a small group before use
- Institutional permission, with anonymous and voluntary participation
- Consent taken by someone outside the students' assessment chain
What derails it
Students will not write honestly about a department that examines them, so responses must be anonymous and collected without faculty in the room, and the protocol should say who handles the forms.
Topic 38 / 44
Link to this entry
Comparison of two tissue preservation techniques for anatomy museum specimens judged on defined quality criteria
DesignComparative interventionalFeasibilityDemanding
Primary outcome
Score on a pre-defined quality rubric covering colour retention, texture and flexibility, assessed by blinded observers at a stated interval
Collection time
15 to 18 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 20 to 40 specimen pairs, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- Chemicals and a ventilated processing area, with departmental sanction for both
- Paired specimens from the same cadaver for a fair comparison
- Blinded observers and a written rubric agreed before assessment
- Institutional permission for the use of cadaveric material in a technique study, alongside the departmental sanction
What derails it
The chemicals needed are costly and some require a licensed supplier and safe disposal, so sanction and the disposal arrangement must be in place before the synopsis, not improvised when the first batch is ready.
Topic 39 / 44
Link to this entry
Survey of the osteological collection of an anatomy department and the completeness of its documentation
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Number of specimens by bone type with the proportion carrying documentation of side, age and sex, and the proportion with damage precluding measurement
Collection time
4 to 6 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 300 to 600 specimens, or the whole collection where it is smaller, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- Written departmental permission and a place to lay out specimens safely
- A standard damage grading sheet and a labelling system
- A register to record what was found, which the department keeps afterwards
What derails it
This study is only worth doing if it changes how the collection is used, so agree with the head of department at the outset that the resulting register and labelling will be adopted, or it reads as a stock-taking exercise.
Topic 40 / 44
Link to this entry
Dimensions of the carpal tunnel and the course of the median nerve in cadaveric wrists
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Tunnel width at stated levels, length of the flexor retinaculum and the distribution of median nerve branching patterns
Collection time
15 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 30 to 60 wrists, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- Cadaveric upper limbs with intact wrists, dissected for the study
- Fine dissection instruments and magnification
- Departmental and institutional permission for a study dissection
What derails it
The retinaculum is cut early in routine hand dissection, so these wrists must be reserved before the teaching session starts, and the faculty in charge has to agree which limbs are set aside.
Topic 41 / 44
Link to this entry
Ultrasound-measured depth and dimensions of the sciatic nerve at the popliteal level in healthy adults
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityDemanding
Primary outcome
Depth from skin and cross-sectional area of the nerve at a stated level, with their relation to body mass index
Collection time
12 to 15 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 60 to 110 participants, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- A linear high-frequency probe and training in nerve identification, with an anaesthesia or radiology collaborator
- A fixed scanning position and a stated measurement level
- Ethics approval and consent from living volunteers
What derails it
Nerve cross-sectional area changes with probe angle and with ankle position, so fix both and record them, and have a trained collaborator verify a sample of images, because an anatomist new to ultrasound will otherwise measure an artefact.
Topic 42 / 44
Link to this entry
Umbilical cord length, coiling index and vessel count in term placentas and their relation to birth weight
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Cord length, umbilical coiling index and vessel count, with their correlation to birth weight
Collection time
9 to 12 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 150 to 250 cords, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- A labour room collection arrangement with a written trimming and measurement protocol
- A measuring tape, a weighing scale and a fixed counting method for coils
- Ethics approval and maternal consent for use of the cord and placenta
What derails it
Cord length depends entirely on where it was cut at delivery, so the protocol must require both cut ends to be accounted for or the measurement stated as the length received, because a partial cord measured as total length is simply wrong.
Topic 43 / 44
Link to this entry
Variations of the foramen transversarium in dry cervical vertebrae
DesignCross-sectionalFeasibilityStraightforward
Primary outcome
Proportion with a double or incomplete foramen transversarium by cervical level, with the dimensions of the foramen
Collection time
6 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 120 to 200 vertebrae, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- Dry cervical vertebrae identifiable to level
- A digital calliper and a fine probe
- Two observers for classifying incomplete forms
What derails it
A broken transverse process mimics an incomplete foramen, so examine the margins for fresh breakage under magnification and exclude damaged specimens, since a post-mortem break counted as a variant will inflate your figure.
Topic 44 / 44
Link to this entry
Prospective log of anatomical variations encountered during routine cadaveric teaching dissection over two academic sessions
DesignProspective observationalFeasibilityModerate
Primary outcome
Number and type of variations recorded per region, with photographic documentation of each
Collection time
two academic sessions, about 18 months
Sample, as a planning figure
roughly 20 to 40 cadavers across the sessions, subject to a proper calculation
What your unit must already have
- A standard variation reporting form placed at every dissection table
- Faculty agreement to countersign findings at the table
- Departmental and institutional permission, with a camera available in the hall
What derails it
Students report variations inconsistently and enthusiastically, so each entry needs a faculty signature and a photograph at the time, because a variation recalled at the end of the term cannot be verified or counted.

The designs

What each design commits you to

The designs in this Anatomy register

The design is not a label on the title; it decides your ethics route, your timetable and the test that answers your primary question. Only the designs that appear above are explained here.

Cross-sectional
33 topics
One contact per participant. Usually the quickest to complete, and the design most often chosen when time is short.
Prospective observational
1 topic
Participants are followed after enrolment without allocating an intervention. Ethics approval must precede the first enrolment.
Retrospective
3 topics
Existing records only. Faster, but limited by what was recorded, and a waiver of consent is normally sought from the ethics committee.
Comparative interventional
1 topic
Two or more arms compared. Ethics scrutiny is heavier, and the protocol must state how allocation is handled.
Randomised controlled
1 topic
Allocation is randomised. Prospective interventional studies are registered with the Clinical Trials Registry of India before the first participant is enrolled.
Diagnostic accuracy
3 topics
An index test measured against a reference standard. The sample size depends on the expected sensitivity or specificity and the prevalence in your setting.
Case-control
2 topics
Cases and controls compared for prior exposure. Control selection is where these are most often criticised.

What the feasibility mark means

A judgement about a typical teaching unit, not about yours. Confirm the volume, the equipment and the co-operation a topic needs before your synopsis goes in, because after that the timetable stops being negotiable^[2].

Straightforward
21 topics
Achievable in most teaching units with routine caseload and no equipment beyond what is already in use.
Moderate
17 topics
Achievable, but needs either a specific piece of equipment, a collaborating department, or a caseload you should confirm before committing.
Demanding
6 topics
Only take this on if your unit already has the volume, the equipment and the co-operation it needs. Confirm all three before your synopsis goes in.

Next steps

Before you commit to one

What to do with a topic you like

Three steps, in this order. None of them is us: the first is arithmetic, the second is your guide, the third is a search only you can run.

Do the arithmetic
The figure on each plate is a planning range, not an answer. Put your own assumptions — the difference you would call clinically meaningful, the variability you expect, the power you want — into the free sample size calculator, then divide the result by the eligible patients your unit sees in a month and see whether the months you have left permit it.
Take it to your guide
Nothing on this page is approved by anybody. Your guide and your department decide what is feasible in your unit, and your ethics committee decides whether it may start — before the first participant, not before the analysis^[5]. Where your university ordinance is stricter than anything here, the ordinance wins^[1].
Run the search yourself
We make no claim that any question here is novel, under-studied or a gap, because that depends on a literature search run today in your own field. Read what the search returns before you write the introduction, and be ready to say why the question is worth asking in your setting.

What a thesis in this field has to satisfy — the obligations, the statistics and the questions residents ask first — is set out on the Anatomy page. Other specialties are in the topic bank index, and the method is worked through in the guides.

Undertakings

Mechanisms, not promises

What protects your draft, and who owns the work

Each line below is a mechanism this platform implements or a published instrument it is built around. None of them is a guarantee, and we are affiliated with no regulator or university.

Protection of your work

Row-level security
Every table enforces row-level access. You read your own record, and nothing else.
View-only streaming
Drafts are streamed to you through an authenticated route, not handed over as a file.
Watermarked to you
Every page you read carries your own name and email across it.
Download gated
The final file unlocks when the fee is settled in full, and not before.
Mumbai region · DPDP 2023
Your record and your documents are held in the Mumbai region, so India's Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023 applies to them.
Anonymised data only
We accept no patient identifiers. An NDA is available on request.

How this works

Instruments we work to

NMC PGMER-2023
The thesis obligations set out in the postgraduate medical education regulations.
NBEMS
DNB and DrNB protocol and thesis timelines, and the page limit, as published.
UGC 2018 · <10%
The academic integrity convention we work to on every draft.
ICMJE · Vancouver
Authorship criteria and reference style, applied as published.
No affiliation
We work to these published instruments. We are affiliated to none of the bodies that issue them.

How this works

Authorship and the uniqueness check

Sole author
Mentoring, editing, statistics and compliance. You remain the sole author of your thesis.
Not ghostwriting
We will not write your thesis for you, and we will not be named in it.
MDSoftune
Word-level uniqueness checking, built with REDENN Informatics Inc., Canada.
Every version
Each draft is checked word by word before your university sees it.

How this works

MDThesis is an independent academic mentorship practice. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting for the NMC, NBEMS, UGC or any university.

Free feasibility call

Tell us where your thesis stands. A senior doctor will tell you what to do next.

A senior doctor replies within one working day. No obligation. MD, MS, DNB, DrNB, DM, MCh, MDS and international programmes.

Request for a feasibility call

No obligation

Reply within one working day · No obligation · Your details are not shared

Prefer to write to us first? Contact the practice. We mentor and edit; you remain the sole author of your thesis.

References

[1]
Post Graduate Medical Education Regulations, 2023, National Medical Commission. In force 1 January 2024. Thesis requirements at Regulation 5.2. nmc.org.in
[2]
DNB and DrNB thesis guidelines, National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences. Protocol within 180 days of joining for three-year courses and 90 days for the two-year post-diploma DNB; research study complete by 24 months; thesis by 26 months; 80-page limit inclusive of certificates and annexures. natboard.edu.in
[5]
National Ethical Guidelines for Biomedical and Health Research Involving Human Participants, 2017, Indian Council of Medical Research. Ethics approval precedes data collection. icmr.gov.in
[6]
Counts of specialties, tracked stages, supported currencies and supported countries are structural facts of this platform, read from its own configuration rather than from a claim.

Document: Topic bank — Anatomy · Revision 1 · Last reviewed 10 SEPT 2026

Issued by MDThesis, a brand of REDENN Informatics Private Limited

Anatomy thesis topics, with the design and feasibility for eachAnatomy thesis topics, with the design and feasibility for each

Morphometric study of the foramen magnum in adult dry skulls

Morphometry and variations of the sacral hiatus in dry human sacra

Morphometry of the glenoid cavity of the scapula and its shape variation in dry bones

Variations in the shape of the suprascapular notch and the presence of a complete foramen in dry scapulae

Neck-shaft angle and related femoral measurements in adult dry femora

Number, position and direction of nutrient foramina in dry long bones of the lower limb

Types and position of the pterion in adult dry skulls and its distance from bony landmarks

Morphometry of lumbar vertebral pedicles on CT images of adults

Variations in renal arterial pattern on CT angiography of adults

Variations in the branching pattern of the coeliac trunk observed during routine cadaveric dissection

Level of division of the sciatic nerve and its relation to the piriformis in cadaveric dissection

Variations in the formation and branching of the brachial plexus in cadaveric dissection

Absence of the palmaris longus tendon assessed by clinical tests in healthy volunteers

Estimation of stature from hand and foot dimensions in young adults

Validation of published stature estimation equations from percutaneous long bone measurements in a local adult population

Cephalic index and head shape distribution in young adults of a defined local population

Distribution of fingerprint patterns and total ridge count in healthy young adults

Fingerprint pattern distribution in patients with a defined congenital condition compared with healthy participants

Placental weight, diameter and surface morphology and their relation to birth weight in term deliveries

Gross and histological features of the placenta in preeclamptic pregnancies compared with normotensive pregnancies

Histogenesis of the human foetal kidney across gestational age groups

Morphological and histological development of the human foetal lung across gestational age groups

Morphometry of the human foetal cerebellum across gestational age groups

Morphometry of the thyroid gland and the relation of the recurrent laryngeal nerve to the inferior thyroid artery in cadaveric dissection

Variations in the arterial circle at the base of the brain in cadaveric specimens

Position and length of the vermiform appendix in cadaveric dissection

Morphometry of the atlas vertebra and variations of the groove for the vertebral artery in dry bones

Mandibular measurements and their sexual dimorphism in dry bones of documented sex

Sex estimation from pelvic measurements on CT images of adults of known sex

Morphometry of the hard palate and the position of the greater palatine foramen in dry skulls

Dimensions of the sella turcica on midsagittal MRI images of adults

Morphometry of the calcaneum in dry bones with reference to its articular facets

Variations in hepatic arterial anatomy observed in cadaveric dissection of the upper abdomen

Coronary arterial dominance and branching pattern in cadaveric hearts

Dimensions of the lumbar vertebral canal in dry vertebrae

Annotated digital slide sessions compared with conventional microscope sessions for learning histology: a randomised comparison of post-session test performance

Perceptions of cadaveric dissection and prosection among first-year medical students

Comparison of two tissue preservation techniques for anatomy museum specimens judged on defined quality criteria

Survey of the osteological collection of an anatomy department and the completeness of its documentation

Dimensions of the carpal tunnel and the course of the median nerve in cadaveric wrists

Ultrasound-measured depth and dimensions of the sciatic nerve at the popliteal level in healthy adults

Umbilical cord length, coiling index and vessel count in term placentas and their relation to birth weight

Variations of the foramen transversarium in dry cervical vertebrae

Prospective log of anatomical variations encountered during routine cadaveric teaching dissection over two academic sessions

What the feasibility mark means

Tell us where your thesis stands. A senior doctor will tell you what to do next.

Anatomy thesis topics, with the design and feasibility for each