directional terms

Supine Position

The patient is lying on their back, facing upward

Prone Position

The patient is lying on their stomach

Right lateral recumbent

 The patient is lying on the right side of their body 

Left lateral recumbent

The patient is lying on the left side of their body

Superior

above something

Inferior

below something

Anterior

In the front (antlers are found at he FRONT or animals heads)

Posterior

in the back, behind

Medial

toward the middle (midline)

Lateral

toward the side, away from the middle (midline)

Proximal

Closer to the origin or trunk

Distal

further away from the origin

Dorsal

pertaining to the back (dolphins have fins on their BACK)

Ventral

pertaining to the belly 

Cranial

pertaining to the head

Caudal: (animals)

towards the tail or feet

Interior

inside (an example would be organs)

Exterior

outside (an example would be hair, skin)

Apex

toward the top or tip of an organ

Base

 toward the button or base of an organ

Superficial

 toward the surface of the body, not deep (think of a character that is “superficial” so not very true or deep, kinda fake)

Deep

 further away from the skin

Bilateral

Both sides of the body (bi=two, lateral= side of the body)

Unilateral

One side of the body (Uni=one, lateral= side of the body)

Ipisilateral

 on the same side of the body

Contralateral

on the opposite side of the body

Parietal

 relating to a body cavity wall

Visceral

relating to internal organs or organs within body cavities