anatomic positions, planes, cavities, and quadrants

Coronal plane or frontal plane

Divides the body into front and back portions

The front of the body = interior/ventral

The back of the body = posterior/dorsal

Midsagittal plane or median plane

Separate the body into equal right and left half

Closer to the midline is referred to as the medial

Further away from the midline is called lateral

transverse plane or horizontal plane

Divides the body horizontally into upper and lower sections

The area above the plane = superior/ cephalad

The area below the plane = inferior/ caudad

Unilateral

pertains to one side

Bilateral

pertains to two sides

Dextrad

Towards the right side

Sinistrad

Towards the left side

Afferent

Pertains to carrrying towards a structure

Efferent

Pertains to carrying away from a structure

Ipsilateral

Pertains to the same side

Contralateral

Pertains to the opposite side

Superficial

Towards the surface of the body

Deep

Away from the surface of the body

Proximal

Pertains to near the origin or towards the trunk of the body

Distal

Pertains to far from the origin or furthest from the trunk of the body

Supine

A person is lying facing up

Prone

Lying facing down

Lateral

Lying on one’s side

Dorsal

Posterior

Back

Ventral

Anterior

Front

Cranial cavity

Contains the head; surrounded and protected by the cranium (skull)

Spinal cavity

Contains a spinal cord; surrounded and protected by the vertebrae (bones of the spine)

Thoracic cavity

Contains the heart, lungs, esophagus, trachea (windpipe). Protected by the ribs, the sternum (breastbone), and the vertebrae (backbone)

Abdominal cavity

Contains the abdominal organs, such as stomach, liver, gallbladder, intestines, etc.

Pelvic cavity

Contains the urinary bladder and reproductive organs

Diaphragm

A broad, dome shape, muscle used for breathing that separates the thoracic and abdominopelvic cavities

Right upper quadrant RUQ

include the right lobe of the liver, Gallbladder, right kidney, small intestine, large intestine, and head of the pancreas

Left upper quadrant LUQ

Includes the stomach, spleen, left lobe of the liver, pancreas, left kidney, and large intestine.

Right lower quadrant RLQ

Appendix, cecum, right ovary, right ureter, right spermatic cord, large intestine, and right kidney

Left lower quadrant LLQ

Includes the small intestine, large intestine, left ovary, left uterine, left spermatic cord, and left kidney

Right hypochondriac region

Liver, gallbladder, right kidney

Right lumbar region

Small intestine, large intestine (ascending colon), liver, right kidney

Right iliac region

Appendix, small intestine, large intestine (cecum and ascending colon)

Epigastric region

Kidneys, pancreas, liver, stomach

Umbilical region

Small intestine, large intestine (transverse colon), pancreas, stomach

Hypogastric region

Small intestine, large intestine (sigmoid colon), bladder

Left hypochondriac region

Stomach, liver, left kidney, spleen

Left lumbar region

Small intestine, large intestine (descending colon), left kidney

Left iliac region

Small intestine, large intestine( descending and sigmoid colon)