Anatomical Directional Terms and Body Planes

Vocabulary flashcards covering key anatomical direction terms and body planes/positions.

Distal

Farther from the trunk or point of attachment; e.g., the fingers are distal to the wrist.

Medial

Toward the midline (median plane) of the body; e.g., the nose is medial to the eyes.

Lateral

Away from the midline (median plane) of the body; e.g., the ears are lateral to the nose.

Frontal (Coronal) Plane

Imaginary vertical plane at right angles to the median plane that divides the body into anterior (front) and posterior (back) parts.

Anterior (Ventral)

Located in front of the frontal plane; toward the front of the body.

Posterior (Dorsal)

Located behind the frontal plane; toward the back of the body.

Transverse Plane

Horizontal plane that divides the body into superior (upper) and inferior (lower) sections.

Superior

Above or toward the head, or above the transverse plane.

Inferior

Below or toward the feet, or below the transverse plane.

Supine Position

Body lying on the back, face upward.

Prone Position

Body lying on the front, face downward.