Medical Science - Unit 7:2

Body Planes

imaginary lines, directional terms are created by these planes

Transverse Plane

a horizontal plane that divides the top half and the bottom half

Superior

body parts above other parts

Inferior

body parts below other body parts

Cranial

body parts located near the head

Caudal

body parts located near the sacral region of the spinal cord (known as the tail)

Midsagittal Plane

divides the body into right and left sides

Medial

parts close to the midline (like the heart)

Lateral 

parts away from the midline (like the arm)

Frontal Coronal Plane 

divides the body into a front section and back section

Ventral

parts in front of the body 

Posterior

parts on the back of the body

Proximal

describes body parts close to the point of reference

Distal

body parts distant from the point of reference

Body Cavities

spaces within the body that contain vital organs

Spinal Cavity

contains the spinal cord

Ventral Cavity

are larger than the dorsal cavities, separated in half by a dome like muscle called the diaphragm

Thoracic Cavity

located in the chest and contains the esophagus, trachea, bronchi, lungs, heart, and large blood vessels

Abdominal Cavity

divided into upper and lower parts, contains stomach, small intestines, and most large intestines, also contains liver gallbladder, appendix, pancreas, and spleen

Pelvic Cavity

lower abdominal cavity, contains urinary bladder, reproductive organs, and last part of large intestine

Orbital Cavity

the cavity for the eyes

Nasal Cavity

the cavity for the nose structure

Buccal Cavity

the cavity for the mouth where the teeth and tongue are

Abdominal Cavity

divided into 4 quadrants

Dorsal Cavity

long continuous cavity located on the back of the body

Cranial Cavity

contains the brain