General Anatomy: Proportions, Location, and Planes

Vocabulary flashcards covering body proportions, anatomical terms of location and direction, and anatomical planes of section.

Cranial (Cephalad)

Pertaining to or located toward the head; directed toward the head

Caudal (Caudad)

Pertaining to or located toward the tail; directed toward the tail

Anterior

Pertaining to or located toward the front (synonym: Ventral)

Posterior

Pertaining to or located toward the back (synonym: Dorsal)

Superior

Upper or above

Inferior

Lower or below

Transverse

Situated at right angles to the long axis of a structure

Longitudinal

Parallel to the long axis of a structure

Medial

Toward the median plane

Lateral

Away from the medial plane (toward the side)

Proximal

Close to or toward the trunk

Distal

Away from the trunk (toward the end of the limb)

Radial

Pertaining to the radius or the lateral side of the forearm

Ulnar

Pertaining to the ulna or the medial side of the forearm

Tibial

Pertaining to the tibia or the medial side of the leg

Fibular

Pertaining to the fibula or the lateral side of the leg

Palmar (Volar)

Pertaining to the palm of the hand

Plantar

Pertaining to the sole of the foot

Sagittal plane

Any vertical plane that is parallel to the sagittal suture of the skull, passing through the body from front to back.

Frontal (coronal) plane

Any plane that is parallel to the forehead or to the coronal suture of the skull. In the standing position, it passes vertically through the body from side to side.

Transverse plane (axial plane)

Any horizontal, cross-sectional plane that divides the body into upper and lower portions. It is perpendicular to the longitudinal body axis.

Vertical or longitudinal axis

In the standing position, this axis runs through the body craniocaudally and is perpendicular to the ground. It lies at the intersection of the coronal and sagittal planes.

Sagittal axis

This axis runs anteroposteriorly from the front to back surface of the body (or from back to front) and lies at the intersection of the sagittal and transverse planes.

Transverse or horizontal axis

This axis runs from side to side and lies at the intersection of the coronal and transverse planes.

Body Mass Index (BMI)

The body weight in kilograms divided by the square of the height in meters: BMI = kg/m^2