Regional anatomy

anatomical position

A position of the body universally used in anatomical descriptions in which the body is erect, the head is level, the eyes face forward, the upper limbs are at the sides, the palms face forward, and the feet are flat on the floor.

sagittal plane

A plane that divides the body or organs into left and right portions. Such a plane may be median, in which the divisions are equal, or paramedian, in which the divisions are unequal.

median plane

A longitudinal plane through the midline of the body that divides the body or organs into equal right and left sides.

midline

An imaginary horizontal line that divides the body into equal left and right sides.

paramedian plane

A longitudinal plane that does not pass through the midline and that divides the body or organs into unequal left and right portions.

coronal or frontal plane

A plane that divide a part of the body into anterior and posterior portions. Also called a frontal plane.

transverse plane

a horizontal plane that divides the body or an organ into superior (upper) and inferior (lower) portions.

oblique plane

A plane that passes through the body or an organ at an angle between the transverse plane and the median, paramedian, or coronal planes.

cephalic

head

cranial

skull

facial

face

frontal

forehead

temporal

temple

orbital or ocular

eye

auricle or otic

ear

buccal

cheek

nasal

nose

oral

mouth

mental

chin

sternal

breastbone

thoracic

chest

cervical

neck

mammary

breast

umbilical

navel

coxal

hip

inguinal

groin

pollen

thumb

manual

hand

pubic

pubis

dorsum

top of foot

hallux

big toe

axillary

armpit

brachial

arm

antecubital

front of elbow

antebrachial

forearm

carpal

wrist

palmar or volar

palm

digital or phalangeal

fingers

femoral

thigh

patellar

anterior surface of knee

crural

leg

tarsal

ankle

digital or phalangeal

toes

pedal

foot

occipital

base of skull

scapular

shoulder blade

vertebral

spinal column

dorsal

back

olecranal or cubital

back of elbow

lumbar

loin/ lower back

sacral

between hips

gluteal

buttock

perineal

region of anus and external genitals

popliteal

hollow behind knee

sural

calf

plantar

sole

dorm

back of hand

calcaneal

heel

cranial cavity

formed by cranial bones, contains brain

vertebral canal

formed by vertebral column and contains spinal cord and beginnings of spinal nerves

thoracic cavity

chest cavity, contains pleural and pericardial cavities and the mediastinum

abdominopelvic cavity

subdivided into abdominal and pelvic cavities

superior

toward the head, or upper part of a structure

inferior

away from the head, or the lower part of a structure

anterior

nearer to or at the front of the body

posterior

nearer to or at the back of the body

medial

nearer to the midline

lateral

further from the midline

intermediate

between two structures

ipsilateral

on the same side of the body as another structure

contralateral

on the opposite side of the body from another structure

proximal

nearer to the attachment of a limb to the trunk; nearer to the origination of a structure

distal

farther from the attachment of a limb to the trunk; farther from the origination of a structure

superficial

toward or on the surface of the body

deep

away from the surface of the body

long bones

bones that are longer than they are wide, tubular, empty space in the middle with compact bone on outside and spongy bone on ends

short bones

same width and length

flat bones

bones that are flat, sponge and dense bone sandwich

irregular bones

bones that dont fit in categories

sesamoid bones

look like sesame seeds, where a lot of action and weight bearing occurs

sutural bones

joints in cranium, dont allow motion, designed to be stable

depressions

sites allowing the passage of soft tissue or formation of joints

foramen

opening through which blood vessels, nerves, or ligaments pass

facet

smooth, flat, slightly concave or convex articulate surface

spinous process

sharp, slender projections

tubercle

variably sized rounded projections

processes

projections or outgrowths on bone that form joints or attachment points for connective tissues, such as ligaments and tendons