Med Terms - Chapter 3 - Directional Terms, Planes, Positions, Regions, and Quadrants

anter/o

front

caud/o

tail (downward)

cephal/o

head (upward)

dist/o

away (from point of attachment)

dors/o

back

infer/o

below

later/o

side

medi/o

middle

poster/o

back; behind

proxim/o

near (point of attachment)

super/o

above

ventr/o

belly (front)

radi/o

x-rays, ionizing radiation

son/o

sound

tom/o

to cut, section, or slice

-ad

toward

-al

pertaining to

-gram

the record/ radiographic image

-graph

instrument to record

-graphy

process of recording/radiographic imaging

-ic

pertaining to

-ior

pertaining to

caudad

toward tail (inferior portion of the trunk; downward)

cephalad

toward the head (upward)

lateral (lat)

to the side

medial (med)

to the middle

unilateral

to one side

bilateral

to two sides

mediolateral

to the middle and to the side

distal

away from point of attachment

proximal

near point of attachment

inferior (inf)

below

superior (sup)

above

caudal

pertaining to the tail (synonymous with inferior when specifying location on the trunk of the human body)

cephalic

to the head

anterior (ant)

to the front

posterior

to the back

dorsal

to the back

ventral

to the belly/front

anteroposterior (AP)

to the front and to the back

posteroanterior (PA)

to the back and to the front

umbilical region

around the navel

lumbar regions

to the right and left of the umbilical region, near the waist

epigastric region

superior to the umbilical region

hypochondriac regions

to the right and left of the epigastric region

hypogastric region

inferior to the umbilical region

iliac regions

to the right and left of the hypogastric region, near the groin (aka the inguinal regions)

axial

horizontal plane dividing the body into superior and inferior portions (aka transverse/horizontal plane)

coronal

vertical plane passing through the body from side to side, dividing the body into anterior and posterior portions (aka frontal plane)

midsagittal

vertical plane passing through the body from front to back at the midline, dividing the body into right and left halves

parasagittal

vertical plane passing through the body from front to back, dividing the body into unequal left and right sides

sagittal

vertical plane passing through the body from front to back, dividing the body into right and left sides (any plane parallel to midsagittal)

Fowler Position

semi-sitting position with slight elevation of the knees

lateral recumbent position

lying on side, right and left precede this term to indicate the patient’s side

lithotomy position

lying on back with legs raised and feet in stirrups, hips and knees flexed, and thighs abducted and externally rotated

orthopnea position

sitting upright in a chair or in bed supported by pillows behind the back

prone position

lying on abdomen facing downward (aka ventral recumbent position)

recumbent position

lying down in any position (aka decubitus position)

Sims position

lying on side in a semi-prone position with the knee drawn up toward the chest and the arm drawn behind parallel to the back. Right and left precede the term to indicate the patient’s right or left side. Originally, the term specifically indicated the patient’s left side; therefore, if the term Sims position is used without a description of right or left, it is assumed the patient is to be placed on the left side

supine position

lying on back facing upward (aka dorsal recumbent position)

Trendelenburg position

lying on back with body tilted to that the head is lower than the feet