Skip to main content
Back

Anatomical Terminology and Body Organization

Control buttons has been changed to "navigation" mode.
1/28

Terms in this set (28)

  • Anatomical position

    The standard reference posture for anatomical descriptions: standing erect, feet parallel and forward, face and eyes forward, arms at sides, palms facing forward with thumbs away from the body.

  • Supine position

    Body lying face up.

  • Prone position

    Body lying face down.

  • Anterior (ventral) body regions

    Includes cephalic (head), cervical (neck), thoracic (chest), abdominal (abdomen), pelvic (pelvis), brachial (arm), and femoral (thigh) regions.

  • Posterior (dorsal) body regions

    Includes cephalic (head), cervical (neck), scapular (shoulder blade), lumbar (lower back), gluteal (buttocks), popliteal (back of knee), and calcaneal (heel) regions.

  • Superior (cranial)

    Toward the head or upper part of a structure. Example: The head is superior to the abdomen.

  • Inferior (caudal)

    Away from the head or toward the lower part of a structure. Example: The navel is inferior to the chin.

  • Anterior (ventral)

    Toward the front of the body. Example: The breastbone is anterior to the spine.

  • Posterior (dorsal)

    Toward the back of the body. Example: The heart is posterior to the breastbone.

  • Medial

    Toward the midline of the body. Example: The heart is medial to the arm.

  • Lateral

    Away from the midline of the body. Example: The arms are lateral to the chest.

  • Intermediate

    Between a medial and lateral structure. Example: The collarbone is intermediate between the breastbone and shoulder.

  • Proximal

    Closer to the origin or point of attachment. Example: The elbow is proximal to the wrist.

  • Distal

    Farther from the origin or point of attachment. Example: The knee is distal to the thigh.

  • Superficial

    Toward or at the body surface. Example: The skin is superficial to the skeletal muscles.

  • Deep

    Away from the body surface, more internal. Example: The lungs are deep to the skin.

  • Ipsilateral

    On the same side of the body. Example: The right hand and right foot are ipsilateral.

  • Contralateral

    On opposite sides of the body. Example: The right hand and left foot are contralateral.

  • Coronal (frontal) plane

    Divides the body into anterior and posterior portions.

  • Sagittal plane

    Divides the body into right and left portions.

  • Midsagittal (median) plane

    Divides the body into equal right and left portions.

  • Parasagittal plane

    Divides the body into unequal right and left portions.

  • Transverse (horizontal) plane

    Divides the body into superior and inferior portions.

  • Dorsal body cavity

    Includes the cranial cavity (brain) and vertebral cavity (spinal cord).

  • Ventral body cavity

    Includes the thoracic cavity and abdominopelvic cavity.

  • Abdominopelvic quadrants

    Right upper (RUQ), left upper (LUQ), right lower (RLQ), and left lower (LLQ) quadrants used for clinical localization.

  • Serous membranes

    Moist membranes surrounding organs in ventral cavities, consisting of visceral (on organ) and parietal (cavity wall) layers with serous fluid in between.

  • Examples of serous membranes

    Pericardium (heart), pleura (lungs), and peritoneum (abdominal organs).