Anatomy Directional Terms and Body Planes

Anterior (ventral)

toward the front

Posterior (dorsal)

toward the back

Superior (cranial or cephalad)

toward the head

Inferior (caudal)

Away from the head

Medial

Towards the midline of the body

Lateral

Away from the midline of the body

Intermediate

between a more medial and a more lateral structure

Proximal

close to the origin of the body part or point of attachment to a limb to the body of a trunk

Distal

farther from the origin of a body part or the point of attachment of a limb to the body trunk

Superficial

toward or at the body surface

Deep

away from the body surface; more internal

Sagittal Plane

Divides the body or any of its parts into right and left sections

Median (Midsagittal Section)

divides the body or organ into equal left and right parts

Frontal Plane (Coronal Section)

Divides the body into anterior and posterior parts

Transverse Plane (Cross Section)

Divides the body or any of its parts into superior(top) and inferior sections(bottom)