A&P 1: Terminology, anatomical positions, directions, planes, cavities, and regions

Anatomical position

Body standing up with hands at sides, palms forward

Prone position

Body laying down, face down

Supine position

Body lying down, face up

Superior

Toward the head

Inferior

Further/away from the head

Anterior

The front surface

Posterior

The back surface

Medial

Toward the midline

Lateral

Away from the midline

Proximal

Closer to the trunk of the body (limbs only)

Distal

Further/away from the trunk of the body (limbs only)

Cranial

Nearer/closer to the head

Caudal

Further/away from the head

Ventral

Nearer/closer to the front belly side of the body

Dorsal

Nearer/ closer to the back of the body

Superficial

Toward the surface of the body

Deep

Further/ away from the surface

Midsagittal plane

Plane that passes through midline, separates body into equal left and right sides

Parasagittal plane

Plane that misses midline, separates body into unequal left and right sides

Frontal/ coronal plane

Plane that separates anterior and posterior portions of the body

Transverse plane

Plane that separates superior and inferior portions of body

Oblique plane

Plane that separates body at any angle other than horizontal or vertical

Body cavities

Potential spaces occupied by various organs and fluids

Dorsal cavity

Consists of cranial cavity and vertebral cavity

Cranial cavity

Space occupied by the brain

Vertebral cavity

Space occupied by spinal cord

Ventral cavity

Consists of thoracic cavity, abdominal cavity, and pelvic cavity

Thoracic/chest cavity

Space occupied by organs in rib cage

Abdominal cavity

Space occupied by abdomen

Pelvic cavity

The inferior portion of the abdominal cavity basically those structures within the pelvis

Abdominopelvic quadrants

Formed by two perpendicular lines that intersect at the navel (4 quadrants)

Abdominopelvic regions

Provides more precise region descriptions (9 regions)

Left and right abdominopelvic regions

Hypochondriac, lumbar, inguinal

Middle abdominopelvic regions

Epigastric, umbilical, hypogastric (pubic)