Macroscopy

Makroskopie​ ​

Macroscopy comes from the Greek words 'macro' and 'skopein', meaning 'to see'. It is the branch of anatomy that deals with structures that are visible to the naked eye. Much of the body remains macroscopically unknown to us because it consists of water, proteins and salts that make up the body. Cells are embedded in this substance. They form it, hold it together and carry life until death.

However, this does not mean that the cells determine form. We turn our attention to the mucous tissue, "fascial" connected mucus (water). We use MRI, dissect specimens and slice the body an make specimens transparent. We are improving these methods. The first fascial anatomical atlas was published in 2015 by the Paduan anatomist Carla Stecco, marking a milestone in anatomy.

In 2018, our group published another more image-oriented atlas in collaboration with Neumünster-based high end photographer Anna Katharina Rowedder. This atlas shows the mucous spaces formed by fasciae. These spaces contain the organs of systematic anatomy. Once you have mastered systematic anatomy, the atlas can help you to understand topographical spaces.

​​No portrait available ​PD Dr. Hanno Steinke

Publications

Phone: +49 341 - 97 22003
E-Mail: hanno.steinke@medizin.uni-leipzig.de​


The work here rests on the shoulders of our doctoral students:

Karolina Böllinger (kb98wemu@studserv.uni-leipzig.de)
Lara Herrmann (Lara.Herrmann@medizin.uni-leipzig.de)
Elisa Schubert (Elisa.Schubert@medizin.uni-leipzig.de)
Marie Stride (Marie.STride@medizin.uni-leipzig.de)
Leon Weigelt (Leon.Weigelt@medizin.uni-leipzig.de)
Tim Wohlgemuth (Tim.Wohlgemuth@medizin.uni-leipzig.de)

Recently completed their doctorate:

2022
Dr. med. Christoph Hellmund (magna cum laude)

2025
Dr. med. Dennis Aliev (summa cum laude)
Dr. rer. nat. Marc Gebhardt (magna cum laude)
Dr. rer. med. Charlotte Kulow (summa cum laude)

Team

​​
  • Dr. Mara Sandrock
  • Dr. Charlotte Kulow, PhD

Atlas of Fascial Topography

published 2​​018

The first fascial anatomy atlas, published in early 2015 by Prof.in Carla Stecco served as a milestone in the field of macroscopic human anatomy. It has become a classic in the field of fascial anatomy.

Now a second fascial anatomy book is published by our group in cooperation with the award-winning German photographer Anna Ka​tharina Rowedder. The photographic images in this book are most impressive; the carefully dissected specimen are illuminated to enhance perceptual clarity.​

Operative approaches to joints and bones

This 25​nd course is designed for pre-clinical and clinical students. This course is well regarded by the scientific community and students. The next course will be held February 6th to 10th, 2023.​

FASCIA LIVE DISSECTION

The next live dissection course will start November 24th to 25th 2022, see 
https://somaticsacademy.com/praparationskurs-faszienanatomie/

Last course March 2021​

Selected publications

2025

1. Alvanos ASchubert EWinter KSteinke H (2025) Unraveling the Pancreatic Anlagen: Validating a Manual Dissection Protocol with Immunohistochemical Staining for Pancreatic Polypeptide in a Human Cadaver Study.  Biomedicines. 2025 May 28;13(6):1318. DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines13061318 PMID: 40564037 PMCID: PMC12189400.​

2. Franz T, Spinos T, Lüke J, Sicker T, Dinh B, Steinke H, Stolzenburg J-U (2025) Techniques for Local Anesthesia in Transperineal and Transrectal Prostate Biopsy: An Image-based Step-by-Step Guide With Dedication to Anatomy. Cureus. 2025 Mar 17;17(3):e80746. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.80746 PMID: 40248543 PMCID: PMC12004032.​​

3. Gebhardt M, Kurz S, Grundmann F, Klink T, Slowik V, Heyde C-E, Steinke H (2025) Approach to Standardized Material Characterization of the Human Lumbopelvic System: Testing and Evaluation. Bioengineering, Vol. 12, Issue 8. DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering12080862.

4. Hepp P, Hellmund H, Weigelt L, Henkelmann J, Steinke H (2025) The prefemoral fat pad of the knee. A large and underrecognized structure with potential clinical relevance. Annals of anatomy = Anatomischer Anzeiger : official organ of the Anatomische Gesellschaft 263:152748. DOI: 10.1016/j.aanat.2025.152748 PMID: 41135716

5. Kulow CSandrock M (2025) Innovative approach to understanding complex neuroanatomy through 'Acting-out' immersive 3D modelling. Clin teacher: accepted

2024

1. Aliev DWinter K, Henkelmann J, Langer MF, Steinke H (2024) The median nerve´s system of connective tissue distal to the pronator teres to the carpal tunnel. Annals of anatomy = Anatomischer Anzeiger : official organ of the Anatomische Gesellschaft 255:152295. DOI10.1016/j.aanat.2024.152295; PMID: 38936746​

2. Alvanos ABechmann ISteinke H (2024) Presenting embryologically defined peripancreatic compartments and fusion planes in the search for pancreatic cancer fields. European journal of surgical oncology : the journal of the European Society of Surgical Oncology and the British Association of Surgical Oncology 50(6):108272. DOI: 10.1016/j.ejso.2 024.108272; PMID: 38552419

3. Alvanos AJunk DBechmann ISteinke H (2024) Validating the Cattell-Braasch maneuver with a case of inherent atypical malrotation of the bowel. A case report. Journal of medical case reports 18(1):548. DOI: 10.1186/s13256-024-04869-6 PMID: 39533337 PMCID: PMC11556189

4. Gebhardt M, Slowik V, Steinke H (2024) Drying irreversibly affects the elastic behavior of pelvic cortical bone. J Mech Behav Biomed Mater. DOI: 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2024.106432 PMID: 38354566

5. Rong Z, Mai H, ..., Steinke H, Frenzel H, Schmidt K, ... Bhatia HS, Hellal F, Ertürk A (2024) Persistence of spike protein at the skull-meninges-brain axis may contribute to the neurological sequelae of COVID-19. Cell Host Microbe. 2024 Dec 11;32(12):2112-2130.e10. DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2024.11.007 PMID: 39615487

2023

1. Gebhardt MSteinke H, Slowik V (2023) Determination of the Modulus of Elasticity by Bending Tests of Specimens with Nonuniform Cross Section. Experimental Mechanics. 2023 March 1. DOI: doi.org/10.1007/s11340-023-00945-y

2. Hellmund CHepp PWeigelt LSteinke H (2023) The subpopliteal fat body. Ann Anat. 2023 Jan;245:151995. DOI: 10.1016/j.aanat.2022.151995 PMID: 36182003

3. Kolabas ZI, … Steinke H, … Bechmann I, ….Erturk A (2023) Distinct molecular profiles of skull bone marrow in health and neurological disorders. Cell 186(17):3706-3725.e29. DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.07.009 PMID: 37562402 PMCID: PMC10443631

4. Kurz S, Gebhardt M, Grundmann F, Heyde C-E, Steinke H (2023) Approach to standardized material characterization of the human lumbopelvic system-Specification, preparation and storage. PloS one 18(8):e0289482. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0289482 PMID: 37535581 PMCID: PMC10399898

5. Siess M, Steinke H, Zwirner J, Hammer N (2023) On a potential morpho-mechanical link between the gluteus maximus muscle and pelvic floor tissues. Scientific Reports 13(1):22901. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-50058-8 PMID: 38129498 PMCID: PMC10739724

6. Vetter S, Köhler H-P, Hepp P, Steinke H, Schleifenbaum S, Theopold J, Kiem S, Witt M, Henkelmann J, Roth C (2023) Diffusion tensor imaging. Influence of segmentation on fiber tracking in the supraspinatus muscle-An inter-operator reliability analysis. PloS one 18(9):e0286280. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0286280 PMID: 37733809 PMCID: PMC10513221

2022

1. Bhatia HS, ...  Steinke H, ...Bechmann I, ... Mann M, Ertürk A (2022) Spatial proteomics in three-dimensional intact specimens. Cell 185(26):5040-5058.e19. DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2022.11.021 PMID: 36563667

2. Henkelmann J, Wiersbicki DSteinke H, Denecke T, Heyde C-E, Voelker A (2022) In vivo detection of the lumbar intraforaminal ligaments by MRI. Eur Spine J. DOI:10.1007/s00586-022-07153-7 PMID: 35275254

3. Kulow C, Theopold JD, Ehrlich A, Hobusch C, Steinke H (2022) Levator scapulae and rhomboid minor are united. Annals of Anatomy - Anatomischer Anzeiger 243:151938.
DOI: 10.1016/j.aanat.2022.151938 PMID: 35367623

4. Mai H, Rong Z, Zhao S, Cai R, Steinke HBechmann I, Ertürk A (2022) Scalable tissue labeling and clearing of intact human organs. Nature Protocols:1–35. DOI: 10.1038/s41596-022-00712-8 PMID: 35859136

5. Steinke H, Kurz S, Fischer B, Schuberth S, Hobusch C, Heyde C-E (2022) The sacrotuberous ligament is preloaded in situ. J Mech Behav Biomed Mater:105368. DOI: 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2022.105368 PMID: 35930947

6. Steinke H, Saito T, Kuehner J, Reibetanz U, Heyde C-E, Itoh M, Voelker A (2022) Sacroiliac innervation. Eur Spine J. DOI: 10.1007/s00586-022-07353-1

7. Voelker A, Schroeter F, Steinke H, Heyde C-E (2022) Degeneration of the lumbar spine and its relation to the expression of collagen and elastin in facet joint capsules and ligament flavum. Acta orthopaedica et traumatologica turcica 56(3):210–216.
DOI: 10.5152/j.aott.2022.21314 PMID: 35703510 PMCID: PMC9612638

8. Völker A, Steinke H, Heyde C-E (2022) Das Iliosakralgelenk als Generator für Rückenschmerz. Ein Review über Morphologie und Erklärungsmodelle zur Schmerzgenese (The Sacroiliac Joint as a Cause of Pain - Review of the Sacroiliac Joint Morphology and Models for Pain Genesis). Zeitschrift fur Orthopadie und Unfallchirurgie. DOI: 10.1055/a-1398-6055 PMID: 33940639

2021

1. Fünfgeld C, Niesel A (eds) (2021) Operationstechniken in der Urogynäkologie bei Deszensus und HarninkontinenzSteinke H, Fünfgeld C, Niesel A: Topografische Anatomie des kleinen Beckens. 1. Auflage. UNI-MED Science. UNI-MED, Bremen.

2. Klengel A, Steinke H, Pieroh P, Höch A, Denecke T, Josten C, Osterhoff G (2021) Integrity of the pectineal ligament in MRI correlates with radiographic superior pubic ramus fracture displacement. Acta Radiol 62(1):67–72. DOI: 10.1177/0284185120913002 PMID: 32345026

3. Kulow C, Reske A, Leimert M, Bechmann I, Winter KSteinke H (2021) Topography and evidence of a separate "fascia plate" for the femoral nerve inside the iliopsoas - A dorsal approach. Journal of anatomy 238(5):1233–1243. DOI: 10.1111/joa.13374 PMID: 33368226 PMCID: PMC8053587

4. Leimert M, Hamann I, Bostelmann R, Sachsen S von, Steinke H, Meixensberger J, Schackert G (2021) MRI-Based Classification Scheme for Degenerative Cervical Spinal Stenosis (DCSS Classification). Austin Neurosurgery Open Access 7(1). DOI: 10.26420/austinneurosurgopenaccess.2021.1065

5. Pieroh P, Li Z-L, Kawata S, Ogawa Y, Josten C, Steinke H, Dehghani F, Itoh M (2021) The arterial blood supply of the symphysis pubis - Spatial orientated and highly variable. Ann Anat . 2021 Mar:234:151649. DOI: 10.1016/j.aanat.2020.151649 PMID: 33227373

6. Pieroh P, Li Z-L, Kawata S, Ogawa Y, Josten C, Steinke H, Dehghani F, Itoh M (2021) The topography and morphometrics of the pubic ligaments. Ann Anat 236:151698. DOI: 10.1016/j.aanat.2021.151698 PMID: 33582299

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