Anatomical Positions

Anatomical Position

Subject stands straight up, feet flat on floor directed forwards, arm at side, palms forward

Cephalic

Head

Cranial

Skull

Facial

Face

Frontal

Forehead

Temporal

Temple

Orbital or Ocular

Eye

Optic

Ear

Buccal

Cheek

Nasal

Nose

Oral

Mouth

Mental

Chin

Sternal

Breastbone

Cervical

Neck

Axillary

Armpit

Brachial

Arm

Thoracic

Chest

Mammary

Breast

Antecubital

Front of elbow

Antebrachial

Forearm

Carpal

Wrist

Palmar

Palm

Digital or phalangeal

Fingers

Femoral

Thigh

Patellar

Anterior surface of knee

Crural

Leg

Pedal

Foot

Tarsal

Ankle

Hallux

Big toe

Dorsum

Top of foot

Pubic

Pubis

Manual

Hand

Pollex

Thumb

Umbilical

Naval

Coxal

Hip

Inguinal

Groin

Olecranon

Back of elbow

Lumbus

Lumbar

Sacrum

Sacral

Antebrachium

Forearm

Gluteus

Buttock

Popliteus

Back of knee

Sura

Calf

Calcaneus

Heel of foot

Planta

Sole of foot

Superior/Cranial

Toward the head end or upper part of a structure or the body; above

Inferior/ caudal

Away from the head end or toward the lower part of a structure or the body; below

Ventral/anterior

Toward or at the front of the body; in front of

Dorsal/posterior

Toward or at the back of the body;behind

Medial

Toward or at the midline of the body; on the inner side of

Lateral

Away from the midline of the body; on the outer side of

Proximal

Closer to the origin of the body part or the point of attachment of a limb to the body trunk

Distal

Farther from the origin of a body part or the point of attachment of a limb to the body trunk

Frontal Plane

Vertical plane the divides body into front and back sections

Median Plane

Vertical plane that divides body into two exactly equal left and right halves

Transverse Plane

Horizontal line that divides body into upper and lower section

Dorsal Body Cavity Location

Posterior of the body, extending from skull to end of the spinal column

Ventral Body Cavity Location

Anterior Side of Human Body, extending from diaphragm to pelvic floor

Ventral Cavity Contents

Thoracic cavity and abdomiopelvic cavity which house heart, lungs, digestive organs, kidneys, reproductive organs, and bladder

Dorsal Body Cavity Contents

Cranial cavity and spinal cavity with houses brain and spinal cord

Visceral

Pertaining to a covering over an organ

Parietal

Pertaining to a covering against a cavity wall