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| Orders and Observations Work Group | Maturity Level: 1 | Trial Use | Security Category: Patient | Compartments: Patient |
Record details about an anatomical structure. This resource may be used when a coded concept does not provide the necessary detail needed for the use case.
The BodyStructure resource contains details about the anatomical location of a specimen or body part, including patient information, identifiers, as well as text descriptions and images.
When needed, it allows the the representation of complex body structures and/or locations using the included and excluded elements. It can provide indications of laterality and directionality to the anatomic location. This capability may be required when not indicated in a corresponding code (e.g., includedStructure.structure or excludedStructure.structure). The BodyStructure resource supports recording and tracking an anatomic location or structure on a patient outside the context of another resource. For example, it can be the target of a Procedure or Observation resource.
If a resource's code value implies a body structure, then the bodyStructure resource should be used consistent with the code and to provide any additional detail. The bodySite element in any resource can be used when the resource's code is not implicit about the body structure and does not require extensive detail.
Structure
See the Extensions for this resource
UML Diagram (Legend)
XML Template
<BodyStructure xmlns="http://hl7.org/fhir"><!-- from Resource: id, meta, implicitRules, and language --> <!-- from DomainResource: text, contained, extension, and modifierExtension --> <identifier><!-- 0..* Identifier Bodystructure identifier --></identifier> <active value="[boolean]"/><!-- 0..1 Whether this record is in active use --> <morphology><!-- 0..1 CodeableConcept Kind of Structure --></morphology> <includedStructure> <!-- 1..* Included anatomic location(s) --> <structure><!-- 1..1 CodeableConcept Code that represents the included structure --></structure> <laterality><!-- 0..1 CodeableConcept Code that represents the included structure laterality --></laterality> <bodyLandmarkOrientation> <!-- 0..* Landmark relative location --> <landmarkDescription><!-- 0..* CodeableConcept Explanation of landmark --></landmarkDescription> <clockFacePosition><!-- 0..* CodeableConcept Clockface orientation --></clockFacePosition> <distanceFromLandmark> <!-- 0..* Landmark relative location --> <device><!-- 0..* CodeableReference(Device) Measurement device --></device> <value><!-- 0..* Quantity Measured distance from body landmark --></value> </distanceFromLandmark> <surfaceOrientation><!-- 0..* CodeableConcept Relative landmark surface orientation --></surfaceOrientation> </bodyLandmarkOrientation> <spatialReference><!-- 0..* Reference(ImagingSelection) Cartesian reference for structure --></spatialReference> <qualifier><!-- 0..* CodeableConcept Code that represents the included structure qualifier --></qualifier> </includedStructure> <excludedStructure><!-- 0..* Content as for BodyStructure.includedStructure Excluded anatomic locations(s) --></excludedStructure> <description value="[markdown]"/><!-- 0..1 Text description --> <image><!-- 0..* Attachment Attached images --></image> <patient><!-- 1..1 Reference(Patient) Who this is about --></patient> </BodyStructure>
JSON Template
{
"resourceType" : "BodyStructure",
// from Resource: id, meta, implicitRules, and language
// from DomainResource: text, contained, extension, and modifierExtension
"identifier" : [{ Identifier }], // Bodystructure identifier
"active" : <boolean>, // Whether this record is in active use
"morphology" : { CodeableConcept }, // Kind of Structure
"includedStructure" : [{ // R! Included anatomic location(s)
"structure" : { CodeableConcept }, // R! Code that represents the included structure
"laterality" : { CodeableConcept }, // Code that represents the included structure laterality
"bodyLandmarkOrientation" : [{ // Landmark relative location
"landmarkDescription" : [{ CodeableConcept }], // Explanation of landmark
"clockFacePosition" : [{ CodeableConcept }], // Clockface orientation
"distanceFromLandmark" : [{ // Landmark relative location
"device" : [{ CodeableReference(Device) }], // Measurement device
"value" : [{ Quantity }] // Measured distance from body landmark
}],
"surfaceOrientation" : [{ CodeableConcept }] // Relative landmark surface orientation
}],
"spatialReference" : [{ Reference(ImagingSelection) }], // Cartesian reference for structure
"qualifier" : [{ CodeableConcept }] // Code that represents the included structure qualifier
}],
"excludedStructure" : [{ Content as for BodyStructure.includedStructure }], // Excluded anatomic locations(s)
"description" : "<markdown>", // Text description
"image" : [{ Attachment }], // Attached images
"patient" : { Reference(Patient) } // R! Who this is about
}
Turtle Template
@prefix fhir: <http://hl7.org/fhir/> .
Changes from both R4 and R4B
| BodyStructure | |
| BodyStructure.includedStructure |
|
| BodyStructure.includedStructure.structure |
|
| BodyStructure.includedStructure.laterality |
|
| BodyStructure.includedStructure.bodyLandmarkOrientation |
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| BodyStructure.includedStructure.bodyLandmarkOrientation.landmarkDescription |
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| BodyStructure.includedStructure.bodyLandmarkOrientation.clockFacePosition |
|
| BodyStructure.includedStructure.bodyLandmarkOrientation.distanceFromLandmark |
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| BodyStructure.includedStructure.bodyLandmarkOrientation.distanceFromLandmark.device |
|
| BodyStructure.includedStructure.bodyLandmarkOrientation.distanceFromLandmark.value |
|
| BodyStructure.includedStructure.bodyLandmarkOrientation.surfaceOrientation |
|
| BodyStructure.includedStructure.spatialReference |
|
| BodyStructure.includedStructure.qualifier |
|
| BodyStructure.excludedStructure |
|
| BodyStructure.description |
|
| BodyStructure.location |
|
| BodyStructure.locationQualifier |
|
See the Full Difference for further information
This analysis is available for R4 as XML or JSON and for R4B as XML or JSON.
Structure
See the Extensions for this resource
XML Template
<BodyStructure xmlns="http://hl7.org/fhir">
JSON Template
{
"resourceType" : "BodyStructure",
// from Resource: id, meta, implicitRules, and language
// from DomainResource: text, contained, extension, and modifierExtension
"identifier" : [{ Identifier }], // Bodystructure identifier
"active" : <boolean>, // Whether this record is in active use
"morphology" : { CodeableConcept }, // Kind of Structure
"includedStructure" : [{ // R! Included anatomic location(s)
"structure" : { CodeableConcept }, // R! Code that represents the included structure
"laterality" : { CodeableConcept }, // Code that represents the included structure laterality
"bodyLandmarkOrientation" : [{ // Landmark relative location
"landmarkDescription" : [{ CodeableConcept }], // Explanation of landmark
"clockFacePosition" : [{ CodeableConcept }], // Clockface orientation
"distanceFromLandmark" : [{ // Landmark relative location
"device" : [{ CodeableReference(Device) }], // Measurement device
"value" : [{ Quantity }] // Measured distance from body landmark
}],
"surfaceOrientation" : [{ CodeableConcept }] // Relative landmark surface orientation
}],
"spatialReference" : [{ Reference(ImagingSelection) }], // Cartesian reference for structure
"qualifier" : [{ CodeableConcept }] // Code that represents the included structure qualifier
}],
"excludedStructure" : [{ Content as for BodyStructure.includedStructure }], // Excluded anatomic locations(s)
"description" : "<markdown>", // Text description
"image" : [{ Attachment }], // Attached images
"patient" : { Reference(Patient) } // R! Who this is about
}
Turtle Template
@prefix fhir: <http://hl7.org/fhir/> .
Changes from both R4 and R4B
| BodyStructure | |
| BodyStructure.includedStructure |
|
| BodyStructure.includedStructure.structure |
|
| BodyStructure.includedStructure.laterality |
|
| BodyStructure.includedStructure.bodyLandmarkOrientation |
|
| BodyStructure.includedStructure.bodyLandmarkOrientation.landmarkDescription |
|
| BodyStructure.includedStructure.bodyLandmarkOrientation.clockFacePosition |
|
| BodyStructure.includedStructure.bodyLandmarkOrientation.distanceFromLandmark |
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| BodyStructure.includedStructure.bodyLandmarkOrientation.distanceFromLandmark.device |
|
| BodyStructure.includedStructure.bodyLandmarkOrientation.distanceFromLandmark.value |
|
| BodyStructure.includedStructure.bodyLandmarkOrientation.surfaceOrientation |
|
| BodyStructure.includedStructure.spatialReference |
|
| BodyStructure.includedStructure.qualifier |
|
| BodyStructure.excludedStructure |
|
| BodyStructure.description |
|
| BodyStructure.location |
|
| BodyStructure.locationQualifier |
|
See the Full Difference for further information
This analysis is available for R4 as XML or JSON and for R4B as XML or JSON.
Additional definitions: Master Definition XML + JSON, XML Schema/Schematron + JSON Schema, ShEx (for Turtle) + see the extensions, the spreadsheet version & the dependency analysis
| Path | ValueSet | Type | Documentation |
|---|---|---|---|
| BodyStructure.morphology | SNOMEDCTMorphologicAbnormalities | Example | This value set includes all codes from SNOMED CT |
| BodyStructure.includedStructure.structure | SNOMEDCTBodyStructures | Example | This value set includes all codes from SNOMED CT |
| BodyStructure.includedStructure.laterality | BodystructureLaterality | Example | SNOMED-CT concepts modifying the laterality of the anatomic location |
| BodyStructure.includedStructure.bodyLandmarkOrientation.landmarkDescription | SNOMEDCTBodyStructures | Example | This value set includes all codes from SNOMED CT |
| BodyStructure.includedStructure.bodyLandmarkOrientation.clockFacePosition | BodystructureBodyLandmarkClockFacePosition | Example | Select SNOMED CT codes. A set of codes that describe a things orientation based on a hourly positions of a clock face. |
| BodyStructure.includedStructure.bodyLandmarkOrientation.distanceFromLandmark.device | DeviceType | Example | Codes used to identify medical devices. Includes concepts from SNOMED CT (http://www.snomed.org/) where concept is-a 49062001 (Device) and is provided as a suggestive example. |
| BodyStructure.includedStructure.bodyLandmarkOrientation.surfaceOrientation | BodystructureLocationQualifier | Preferred | SNOMED-CT concepts modifying the anatomic location |
| BodyStructure.includedStructure.qualifier | BodystructureLocationQualifier | Example | SNOMED-CT concepts modifying the anatomic location |
Search parameters for this resource. See also the full list of search parameters for this resource, and check the Extensions registry for search parameters on extensions related to this resource. The common parameters also apply. See Searching for more information about searching in REST, messaging, and services.
| Name | Type | Description | Expression | In Common |
| excluded_structure | token | Body site excludedStructure structure | BodyStructure.excludedStructure.structure | |
| identifier | token | Bodystructure identifier | BodyStructure.identifier | 65 Resources |
| included_structure | token | Body site includedStructure structure | BodyStructure.includedStructure.structure | |
| morphology | token | Kind of Structure | BodyStructure.morphology | |
| patient | reference | Who this is about | BodyStructure.patient (Patient) |
65 Resources |
FHIR ®© HL7.org 2011+. FHIR R6 hl7.fhir.core#6.0.0-ballot3 generated on Thu, Aug 28, 2025 21:14+0000.
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