ANATOMICAL TERMINOLOGY

Mrs. Byars’ Anatomy & Physiology RCHS 2015-2016

Anatomical PositionThe body is standing erect, face forward, with the upper limbs at the sides and the palms forward.

*Note that the terms right and left refer to the right and left of the body in anatomical position.

RELATIVE POSITIONS

Relative position terms describe the location of one body part with respect to

another

Superior◦Means a body part is above another part or is closer to the head

◦Ex: the thoracic cavity is superior to the abdominal cavity

Inferior◦Means a body part is below another body part or is toward the feet

◦Ex: the neck is inferior to the head

Anterior◦Also called ventral◦Means toward the front

◦Ex: the eyes are anterior to the brain

Posterior◦Also called dorsal

◦The opposite of anterior

◦Means toward the back

◦Ex: the pharynx is posterior to the oral cavity

Medial◦Refers to the imaginary midline diving the body into equal right and left halves

◦A body part is medial if it closer to this line than another part

◦Ex: the nose is medial to the eyes

Lateral◦Means toward the side with respect to the imaginary midline

◦Ex: the ears are lateral to the eyes

Proximal◦Describes a body part that is closer to a point of attachment to the trunk than another body part

◦Ex: the elbow is proximal to the wrist

Distal◦The opposite of proximal

◦Mean that a particular body part is farther from a point of attachment to the trunk than another body part

◦Ex: the fingers are distal to the wrist

Superficial◦Means situated near the surface

◦Ex: the epidermis is the superficial layer of the skin

Deep◦Describes parts that are more internal than superficial parts

◦Ex: the dermis is the deep layer of the skin

BODY SECTIONS

Sagittal◦Refers to a lengthwise plane that divides the body into right and left portions

◦If a sagittal plane passes along the midline and divides the body into equal parts, it is called the median

Transverse◦Also called horizontal

◦Refers to a plane that divides the body into superior and inferior portions

Coronal◦Also called frontal

◦Refers to a plane that divides the body into anterior and posterior portions

BODY REGIONS

The Abdominal Region