Chapter 3: Directional Terms, Planes, Positions, Regions, and Quadrants

Vocabulary flashcards covering directional terms, planes, body positions, abdominopelvic regions, quadrants, and common abbreviations from Chapter 3 notes.

cephal/o

Head (directional combining form)

dors/o

Back (dorsal) or toward the back of the body

poster/o

Back, behind; posterior

caud/o

Tail or caudal (toward the tail)

anter/o

Front (anterior)

ventr/o

Belly; front of the body (ventral)

later/o

Side (lateral)

super/o

Above; upper (superior)

infer/o

Below; lower (inferior)

medi/o

Middle (midline or middle of the body)

proxim/o

Near (proximal)

dist/o

Away; far from (distal)

origin

Muscle origin; point of attachment that remains stationary

insert/o

Muscle insertion; point of attachment that moves

Frontal plane (coronal plane)

Plane that divides the body into anterior and posterior portions

midsagittal plane

Plane that divides the body into equal left and right halves

transverse plane

Plane that divides the body into superior and inferior portions

Right upper quadrant (RUQ)

Upper-right quadrant of the abdomen (contains liver, etc.)

Left upper quadrant (LUQ)

Upper-left quadrant of the abdomen

Right lower quadrant (RLQ)

Lower-right quadrant of the abdomen

Left lower quadrant (LLQ)

Lower-left quadrant of the abdomen

epigastric region

Upper central region of the abdomen above the stomach

right hypochondriac region

Right upper lateral region of the abdomen

left hypochondriac region

Left upper lateral region of the abdomen

umbilical region

Central region around the umbilicus (navel)

right lumbar region

Right middle lateral region of the abdomen

left lumbar region

Left middle lateral region of the abdomen

right iliac (inguinal) region

Right lower abdominal region near the groin

left iliac (inguinal) region

Left lower abdominal region near the groin

hypogastric region

Lower central region below the umbilicus

RUQ (abdominal quadrant abbreviation)

Right Upper Quadrant

LUQ (abdominal quadrant abbreviation)

Left Upper Quadrant

RLQ (abdominal quadrant abbreviation)

Right Lower Quadrant

LLQ (abdominal quadrant abbreviation)

Left Lower Quadrant

PA

Posterior–Anterior projection; x-ray beam moves from back to front

AP

Anterior–Posterior projection; x-ray beam moves from front to back

lat

Lateral projection

ant

Anterior (in front)

med

Medial (toward the midline)

inf

Inferior (below)

sup

Superior (above)

Fowler position

Semi-sitting position with slight elevation of the knees

Sims position

Lying on the left side with the right knee flexed and left arm behind the body

Trendelenburg position

Lying on the back with the body tilted so that the head is lower than the feet

orthopnea position

Sitting upright in a chair or bed, often with pillows behind the back

orthopneic position

Sitting or leaning forward with arms supported on an overbed table

supine position

Lying on the back

prone position

Lying on the abdomen

left lateral recumbent

Lying on the left side

umbilicus

Navel; center of the abdomen