Language of Anatomy

anatomy

anatomy

study of structures and relationships between body parts (their forms and how they are organized)

physiology

study of functions of the body parts to keep and organism alive (what body parts do and how they do it)

sagittal/medial plane

separates the left and right sides of the body

parasagittal plane

parallel to medial line

frontal/coronal plane

separates the front and back halves of the body

transverse/horizontal plane

separates the upper (superior) and lower (inferior) body

axial parts

refers to the central or main trunk of the boy

appendicular parts

refers to appendages

anterior/ventral

front of a body part

posterior/dorsal

behind a body part

superior

above/upper

inferior

below/lower

medial

towards the midline of the body

lateral

further from the midline

proximal

appendages closer to the trunk

distal

appendages further away from the trunk

superficial

closer to the body surface

deep

more internal

oblique plane

not at a parallel or right angle