Terminology, Planes, Abdominal Regions, and Body Cavities (Lab 1)

Anatomical position

Standardized position from which to describe directional terms: standing upright, facing the observer, head level, eyes facing forward, arms at the sides, palms turned forward, feet flat on the floor.

Prone position

Lying face down.

Supine position

Lying face up.

Superior (Cranial)

Above, at a higher level, towards the head.

Inferior (Caudal)

Below, at a lower level, away from the head.

Anterior (Ventral)

At the front of the body.

Posterior (Dorsal)

At the back of the body.

Medial

Nearer to the midline of the body.

Lateral

Farther from the midline of the body.

Intermediate

Between a medial and lateral structure.

Proximal

Nearer to the attachment of the limb to the trunk.

Distal

Farther from the attachment of the limb to the trunk.

Superficial

Closer to the surface of the body.

Deep

Farther from the surface of the body.

Ipsilateral

Same side of the body.

Contralateral

Opposite side of the body.

Parietal

Pertaining to a wall.

Visceral

Pertaining to an organ.

Cephalic

Head.

Cranial

Skull.

Frontal

Forehead.

Facial

Face.

Acromial

High point of the shoulder.

Axillary

Armpit.

Brachial

Arm.

Antebrachial

Forearm.

Antecubital

Front of elbow.

Olecranon

Back of elbow.

Manual/Manus

Hand.

Carpal

Wrist.

Palmar

Palm.

Pollex

Thumb.

Digital/Phalangeal (upper)

Fingers.

Gluteal

Buttock.

Inguinal

Groin.

Femoral

Thigh.

Patellar

Front of knee.

Popliteal

Back of knee.

Crural

Front of leg (Shin).

Sural

Back of leg (Calf).

Tarsal

Ankle.

Pedal

Foot.

Calcaneal

Heel.

Plantar

Sole of foot.

Hallux

Great toe.

Digital/Phalangeal (lower)

Toes.

Cervical

Neck.

Thoracic

Middle back.

Lumbar

Low back.

Thorax

Chest.

Mammary

Breast.

Abdominal

Abdomen (Stomach).

Umbilical

Navel (Belly button).

Pelvic

Pelvis.

Pubic

Front of pelvis.

Plane

An imaginary flat surface that passes through the body.

Section

One of the 2 surfaces (pieces) resulting when cut by a plane.

Sagittal Plane

Divides the body or an organ into left and right sides.

Midsagittal

Sagittal plane producing equal halves.

Frontal (Coronal) Plane

Divides the body or an organ into front (anterior) and back (posterior) portions.

Transverse (Horizontal) Plane

Divides the body or an organ into upper (superior) or lower (inferior) portions.

Left upper quadrant (LUQ)

One of the four abdominopelvic quadrants.

Right upper quadrant (RUQ)

One of the four abdominopelvic quadrants.

Right lower quadrant (RLQ)

One of the four abdominopelvic quadrants.

Left lower quadrant (LLQ)

One of the four abdominopelvic quadrants.

Left hypochondriac

One of the nine abdominopelvic regions.

Epigastric

One of the nine abdominopelvic regions.

Right hypochondriac

One of the nine abdominopelvic regions.

Left lumbar

One of the nine abdominopelvic regions.

Umbilical

One of the nine abdominopelvic regions.

Right lumbar

One of the nine abdominopelvic regions.

Left inguinal

One of the nine abdominopelvic regions.

Hypogastric (pubic)

One of the nine abdominopelvic regions.

Right inguinal

One of the nine abdominopelvic regions.

Posterior (dorsal) body cavity

Contains the cranial cavity and vertebral cavity.

Cranial cavity

Formed by bones of the skull, contains the brain.

Vertebral cavity

Formed by the vertebrae, contains the spinal cord.

Anterior (ventral) body cavity

Divided by the diaphragm into thoracic cavity and abdominopelvic cavity.

Serous Membranes

Thin, slippery membrane that lines the body cavities (not open to the outside) and cover organs.

Parietal layer

Lines cavity wall.

Parietal layer

lines cavity wall

Visceral layer

covers the organs

Serous fluid

reduces friction

Thoracic cavity

surrounded by the chest wall and diaphragm

Mediastinum

midline structure which divides the thoracic cavity into 2 pleural cavities

Right and left pleural cavities

contain right and left lungs

Pleura

each pleural cavity is lined by a serous membrane known as

Visceral pleura

covers the lungs

Parietal pleura

lines the pleural cavity (walls)

Upper portion of Mediastinum

contains blood vessels, trachea, esophagus, and thymus

Lower portion of Mediastinum

contains pericardial cavity

Pericardial cavity

the heart is located within the pericardial cavity

Pericardium

the pericardial cavity is lined by a serous membrane known as the pericardium

Visceral pericardium

covers the heart

Parietal pericardium

lines the pericardial cavity (walls)

Abdominopelvic cavity

the abdominal cavity and upper part of pelvic cavity is also known as the peritoneal cavity

Abdominal cavity

contains many digestive glands and organs

Pelvic cavity

contains urinary bladder, reproductive organs, and lower digestive tract

Peritoneum

the abdominopelvic cavity is lined by a serous membrane known as the

Visceral peritoneum

covers the abdominopelvic organs