Medical Terminology Directional Terms

Chapter 2

supine

individual laying down on their back

prone

individual laying down on their abdomen

unilateral

a condition occurring on one side of the body

dorsum

the top of a hand or foot

palmar

sole side of foot or palm side of palm

anterior (ventral)

the front or direction toward the front of the body

contralateral

positioned on the opposite side

deep

a position the is farther from the surface of the bodydi

distal

a position in a limb that is farther from the point of attachment of the trunk on the body

inferior (caudal)

position below or lower thana another part of the body; near the coccyx or lowest part of the spinal column

ipsilateral

positioned on the same side

lateral

the side or direction toward the side of the body

medial

the middle or direction toward the middle of the body

posterior (dorsal)

the back or direction toward the back of the body

proximal

a position in a limb that is nearer to the point of attachment of the trunk of the body

superficial

a position closer to the surface of the body

superior (cranial/cephalic)

a position above or higher than another part of the body

frontal (coronal) plane

a vertical plane running from side to side that divides the body or any of its parts into anterior and posterior

saggital (lateral) plane

a vertical plane running from front to back that divides the body or any of its parts into right and left sides. if this vertical plane runs directally down the middle of the body, it is called the midsagittal or median plane. if the plane divides the body into unequal right and left sides, it is called a parasagittal plane or longituddinal section

oblique plane

divides the body at an angle between the horizontal and vertical plane

transverse (axial) plane

a horizontal plane that divides the body or any of its parts into upper and lower parts and produce images often referred to as “cross-sections”