Week 1 - Directional terms, planes, and cavities

anterior (ventral)

front of the body

posterior (dorsal)

back of body

superior (cranial)

above or higher than another part of the body

inferior (caudal)

below or lower than another part of the body

lateral

Away from the midline of the body, the side or direction toward the side of the body

medial

the middle or direction toward the middle of the body

proximal

Closer to the origin of the body part or the point of attachment of a limb to the body trunk; a position in a limb that is nearer to the point of attachment or the trunk of the body

distal

farther from the origin of a body part or the point of attachment of a limb to the body trunk; a position in a limb that is farther from the point of attachment or the trunk of the body

superficial

near the surface

deep

away from the surface

sagittal plane

divides body into left and right

midsagittal plane

divides the body directly down the middle

parasagittal plane

Divides body into unequal right and left sides

frontal plane (coronal plane)

Divides the body into front and back portions.

transverse plane

horizontal division of the body into upper and lower portions

prone

face down

supine

face up

decubitus

lying down/horizontal position

erect

vertical position, standing upright

subcutaneous

directly below the skin

ipsilateral

on the same side of the body

Contralateral

on the opposite side of the body

abdominopelvic cavity

division of the anterior (ventral) cavity that houses the abdominal and pelvic viscera

anatomical position

standard reference position used for describing locations and directions on the human body

anterior cavity (ventral cavity)

larger body cavity located anterior to the posterior (dorsal) body cavity; includes the serous membrane- lined pleural cavities for the lungs, pericardial cavity for the heart, and peritoneal cavity for the abdominal and pelvic organs; also referred to as ventral cavity

cranial cavity

division of the posterior (dorsal) cavity that houses the brain

abdominal cavity

contains the greater part of the digestive tract, the liver and pancreas, the spleen, the kidneys, and the adrenal glands located above the kidneys

posterior cavity (dorsal cavity)

posterior body cavity consists of cranial and vertebral cavities that houses the brain and spinal cord

thoracic cavity

division of the anterior (ventral) cavity that houses the heart, lungs, esophagus, and trachea

vertebral cavity

division of the dorsal cavity that houses the spinal cord; also referred to as vertebral cavity

pelvic cavity

contains the urinary bladder, the colon, and the internal reproductive organs