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Anatomical terms

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Anatomical Position

Anatomical Position

Anatomical Position Example 1

Anatomical Position Example 1

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Anterior (ventral): towards or front of the body
Posterior (dorsal ): Towards the back of the body
superior (cranial ): Above
Inferior ( caudal ): below
Medial: towards the middle of body
lateral: away from the midline
proximal: closer to point of attachment
distal: further away from point of attachment
superficial: towards the surface
deep: away from surface
parietal: outer wall of body cavity
visceral: the covering of an organ
midsagittal: middle of body split into left and right sides
parasagittal: away from midline left and right sides
transverse: splitting the body into half top and bottom
coronal ( frontal ): front and back of the head
cranial: skull
cephalic: head
frontal: forehead
mental: chin
buccal: cheeks
cervical: neck
acromial: shoulder
axillary: armpit
brachial: upper arm
antebrachial: forearm
olecranal (cubital: elbow
antecubital: inner elbow
carpal: hand and wrist
pollex: thumb
coxal: hip
gluteal: butt
inguinal: groin
pubic: genitals
perineal: between anus and external genitalia
crural: leg
femoral: thigh femur
patellar: knee
popliteal: back of knee
calcaneal: heel of foot
plantar: bottom of foot
halllux: big toe
visceral: internal organ
somatic: related to body
posterior body cavities: regions of the back of the body
cranial cavity: within the skull
spinal (vertebral) cavity: contains the spinal cord
anterior body cavity: regions of the front of the body
thoracic cavity: rib cage and lungs
pleural cavity: the right and left sides of the thoracic cavity
mediastinum cavity: central part of the thoracic cavity
pericardial cavity: surrounds heart
superior mediastinum cavity: esophagus, trachea and vessels
abdominopelvic cavity: abdominal and pelvic cavity
abdominal cavity: digestive organs
pelvic cavity: hip bones and bladder
orbital cavity: eyeballs
nasal cavity: nostrils
buccal cavity: oral, mouth
right upper quadrant: top
left lower quadrant: top
right lower quadrant: bottom
left lower quadrant: bottom
right hypochondriac: top
epigastric: top
left hypochondriac: top
right lumbar: middle
umbilical: middle
left lumbar: middle
right iliac: bottom
hypogastric: bottom
left iliac: bottom
flexion: bending a joint
extension: extending a joint
rotation: revolving a body part around
circumduction: distal end moves in circle proximal end stays in place
abduction: moving away from the body
adduction: moving towards the body
supination: palms drinking soup
pronation: palms down
inversion: turning sole of foot inward
eversion: turning sole of foot outwards
opposition: moving thumb to touch each finger
elevation: movement up
depression: movement down
protraction: moving lower jaw forward
retraction: moving lower jaw backwards
head: rounded bone at the end
condyle: rounded articular projection
facet: smooth nearly flat
fovea: depression smaller then fossa
ramus: arm-like projection
tuberosity: spread out, large rounded projection
tubercle: small rounded projection
process: any bony prominence
crest: narrow usually prominent ridge
line: narrow ridge less prominent then crest
spine: sharp slender projection
epicondyle: raised area above the a condyle
foreman ( plural foramina ): round or oval opening through a bone
meatus: canal like passageway
groove: furrow
sulcus ( plural sulci ): very shallow furrow
fissure: narrow slit like opening
notch: indention on the edge of the bone
sinus: cavity within the bones filled with air