General Anatomy Flashcards: Planes, Directions, Regions, Cavities, Quadrants, and Abdominopelvic Regions

Vocabulary flashcards covering body planes, directional terms, body regions, body cavities, body quadrants, and abdominopelvic regions as described in the lecture notes.

Sagittal plane

A vertical plane that divides the body into right and left portions.

Median (midsagittal) plane

A sagittal plane that divides the body into equal right and left halves.

Parasagittal plane

A sagittal plane that divides the body into unequal right and left halves.

Frontal (coronal) plane

A vertical plane that divides the body into anterior (front) and posterior (back) portions.

Transverse (horizontal) plane

A plane that passes horizontally, dividing the body into superior (top) and inferior (bottom) portions.

Oblique plane

Any plane not parallel to the other planes; often diagonal.

Superior (cranial)

Toward the head; the upper part of a structure.

Inferior (caudal)

Toward the feet; the lower part of a structure.

Anterior (ventral)

Toward the front of the body.

Posterior (dorsal)

Toward the back of the body.

Medial

Toward the midline of the body.

Lateral

Away from the midline of the body.

Proximal

Closer to the point of attachment or to the trunk.

Distal

Farther from the point of attachment or the trunk.

Superficial

Toward or at the body surface.

Deep

Away from the surface; more internal.

Ipsilateral

On the same side of the body.

Contralateral

On the opposite side of the body.

Abdominal region

Region inferior to the thorax and superior to the pelvic brim.

Nasal region

Region of the nose.

Antebrachial region

Forearm; the portion of the upper limb between the elbow and the wrist.

Occipital region

Posterior aspect of the head.

Antecubital region

Region anterior to the elbow; also known as the cubital region.

Olecranal region

Posterior aspect of the elbow.

Auricular region

Visible surface structures of the ear.

Axillary region

Armpit.

Brachial region

Arm; the portion of the upper limb between the shoulder and the elbow.

Palmar region

Palm of the hand.

Buccal region

Cheek.

Calcaneal region

Heel of the foot.

Carpal region

Wrist.

Patellar region

Kneecap.

Pectoral region

Chest, includes the mammary region.

Pelvic region

Pelvis.

Cephalic region

Head.

Perineal region

Region between the anus and external reproductive organs.

Cervical region

Neck.

Crural region

Leg (the portion of the lower limb between the knee and the ankle).

Popliteal region

Area posterior to the knee.

Deltoid region

Shoulder area.

Pubic region

Anterior region of the pelvis.

Digital region

Fingers or toes (phalangeal region).

Radial region

Lateral aspect (thumb side) of the forearm.

Dorsal region

Back of the body.

Sacral region

Posterior region between the hip bones; part of the lower back.

Femoral region

Thigh.

Scapular region

Shoulder blade area.

Sternal region

Anterior middle region of the thorax.

Frontal region

Forehead.

Sural region

Calf (posterior part of the leg).

Gluteal region

Buttock.

Tarsal region

Proximal part of the foot and ankle.

Hallux region

Great toe.

Thoracic region

Thorax.

Inguinal region

Groin area (crease where thigh meets trunk).

Tibial region

Medial aspect of the leg.

Lumbar region

The small of the back; inferior part of the back between the ribs and pelvis.

Ulnar region

Medial aspect of the forearm.

Mammary region

Breast.

Manus region

Hand.

Mental region

Chin.

Umbilical region

Navel.

Vertebral region

Spinal column.

Epigastric region

Upper central region of the abdomen.

Right hypochondriac region

Right upper lateral region under the ribs.

Left hypochondriac region

Left upper lateral region under the ribs.

Umbilical region

Central region around the navel.

Right iliac (inguinal) region

Right lower lateral region near the hip.

Left iliac (inguinal) region

Left lower lateral region near the hip.

Right lumbar (lateral) region

Right middle lateral region.

Left lumbar (lateral) region

Left middle lateral region.

Right hypogastric (pubic) region

Right lower central region.

Left hypogastric (pubic) region

Left lower central region.

Right upper quadrant

Upper right quadrant of the abdomen (e.g., liver, gallbladder area).

Left upper quadrant

Upper left quadrant of the abdomen (e.g., stomach, spleen).

Right lower quadrant

Lower right quadrant of the abdomen (e.g., cecum, appendix).

Left lower quadrant

Lower left quadrant of the abdomen (e.g., portions of the colon).

Posterior cavity

Cavity within the skull and the vertebral column.

Cranial cavity

Cavity formed by the skull; houses the brain, meninges, and CSF.

Vertebral cavity

Cavity formed by the vertebral column; houses the spinal cord, meninges, and CSF.

Ventral cavity

Subdivided into the thoracic and abdominopelvic cavities, separated by the diaphragm.

Thoracic cavity

Superior ventral cavity; contains pericardial cavity, pleural cavities, and mediastinum.

Pericardial cavity

Central subcavity containing the heart.

Right pleural cavity

Lateral ventral cavity containing the right lung.

Left pleural cavity

Lateral ventral cavity containing the left lung.

Mediastinal cavity

Central cavity containing pericardial cavity, heart, thymus, esophagus, trachea, and major vessels.

Abdominopelvic cavity

Space below the diaphragm; subdivided into abdominal and pelvic cavities.

Abdominal cavity

Contains stomach, spleen, pancreas, liver, gall bladder, intestines, kidneys, etc.

Pelvic cavity

Contains urinary bladder, reproductive organs, rectum, certain portions of the large intestine.

Abdominopelvic quadrants

Four regions created by two perpendicular lines cross at the navel for reference.

Epigastric region

Upper central abdominopelvic region.

Right hypochondriac region

Right upper lateral region.

Left hypochondriac region

Left upper lateral region.

Umbilical region (umbilical area)

Central region around the navel.

Right lumbar (lumbar) region

Right middle lateral region.

Left lumbar (lumbar) region

Left middle lateral region.

Hypogastric (pubic) region

Lower central region.

Right iliac (inguinal) region

Right lower lateral region near the hip.

Left iliac (inguinal) region

Left lower lateral region near the hip.