anatomy + phis terms

superior

above another body part or closer to the head

inferior

below another body part or closer to the feet

anterior

closer to the front or in front of

posterior

closer to the back or behind

medial

closer to the body’s midline

lateral

farther from the body’s midline

proximal

closer to the center of the body (or trunk) or point of attachment

distal

farther from the center of the body (or trunk) or point of attachment

transverse plane

splitting the body top and bottom

sagittal plane

splitting the body left and right

frontal/coronal plane

splitting the body front to back

oblique plane

splitting the body into diagonal parts

Dorsal Cavity

located in the back of the body and contains the cranial cavity and the vertebral cavity

ventral cavity

located in the front of the body, contains the thoracic cavity and the abdominopelvic cavity

cranial cavity

the headspace area which is filled with fluid, contains the brain

spinal cavity

fluid filled space in the spinal column, contains the spinal chord

thoracic cavity

hollow space in the chest enclosed by the ribcage, spine, and sternum, contains vital organs in the respiratory, cardiovascular, digestive, and nervous system

abdominal cavity

large body cavity below the thoracic cavity, contains many vital organs such as the stomach, liver, spleen, gallbladder, kidneys, most of the small and large intestines

pelvic cavity

space enclosed by the bony pelvic region, contains pelvic and reproductive organs such a as the terminal portion of the intestine, urinary bladder, internal reproductive organs

median

the body’s midline