Module 3 Medical Terminology

Medical Terminology Online for Exploring Medical Language, 12th Edition from the EVOLVE website, module 3

anatomic position

In this position, body faces forward, standing, with arms hanging by the sides and palms facing forward and the feet side by side pointing anteriorly.

anter/o

front

-ior

pertaining to (-ior)

poster/o

back (p…)

posteroanterior

from back to the front

ventr/o

belly, front

dors/o

back (d…)

superior

above

cephal/o

head

-ad

toward, near

infer/o

below

caud/o

tail, lower part of the body

pulse

the vibrating movement of blood vessels in response to the pumping action of the heart

later/o

the side (of the body)

lateral

to the side of

medi/o

the middle

medial

to the middle of

mediad

toward the middle

uni-

one

bi-

two

proxim/o

pertaining to the point of attatchment

dist/o

away from the point of attatchment

supine

laying down back facing down

prone

laying down face facing down

caudal

below perspective

coronal plane

front-back plane

sagittal plane

left-right plane

transverse plane

top-down plane

midsagittal plane

EQUAL right and left halves

parasagittal plane

UNEQUAL left and right sides

abdominopelvic region (APR)

entire area of the abdomen and pelvis

right hypochondriac

top right APR

epigastric region

top middle APR

left hypochondriac region

top left APR

right lumbar region

middle right APR

umbilical region

middle middle APR

left lumbar region

middle left APR

right iliac region

bottom right APR

hypogastric region

bottom middle region

left iliac region

bottom left region

right upper quadrant (RUQ)

contains the right lobe of the liver, the gallbladder, the medial portion of the pancreas, and portions of the small and large intestines

left upper quadrant (LUQ)

contains the left lobe of the liver, the stomach, the spleen, the lateral portion of the pancreas, and portions of the large and small intestines

right lower quadrant (RLQ)

contains parts of the small and large intestines, the appendix, the right ureter, and the right fallopian tube and ovary in women or the right spermatic duct in men

left lower quadrant (LLQ)

contains portions of the intestinal tract, the left ureter, and the left fallopian tube and ovary in women or the left spermatic duct in men

recumbent

lying down in any postion

lateral recumbent position

lying on either side of the body

fowler position

semisitting position with a slight elevation of the knees

trendelenburg position

patient is on their back but with the body tilted to place their head lower than their feet

lithotomy position

patient lies supine but with legs raised and feet stirrups

sims position

turning the patient onto his or her left side with the right knee drawn up and the left arm drawn behind, parallel to the back

orthopnea position

requires the patient to sit erect in a chair or upright in bed supported by pillows behind the head and chest

orth/o

straight

-pnea

breathing