Atlas A General Orientation to Human Anatomy

Vocabulary flashcards covering key anatomical orientation concepts such as position, planes, directional terms, body cavities, membranes, and regional anatomy.

Anatomical position

The standard reference posture: person stands erect, feet flat, arms at the sides, palms facing forward, and eyes forward.

Planes of section

Imaginary flat surfaces through the body used to view internal structures in anatomical views.

Sagittal plane

Divides the body into right and left parts.

Midsagittal plane

A sagittal plane that divides the body into equal right and left halves.

Parasagittal plane

A sagittal plane that divides the body into unequal right and left portions.

Frontal (coronal) plane

Divides the body into anterior (front) and posterior (back) portions.

Transverse (horizontal) plane

Divides the body into superior (top) and inferior (bottom) portions.

Superior

Toward the head; above.

Inferior

Toward the feet; below.

Anterior

Toward the front of the body; ventral side in humans.

Posterior

Toward the back of the body; dorsal side.

Medial

Toward the midline of the body.

Lateral

Away from the midline.

Proximal

Closer to the trunk or point of origin of a limb.

Distal

Farther from the trunk or origin.

Superficial

Near the body surface.

Deep

Farther from the body surface; internal.

Dorsal body cavity

The posterior body cavity housing the brain and spinal cord (cranial cavity and vertebral canal).

Ventral body cavity

The anterior body cavity; subdivided into the thoracic and abdominopelvic cavities and separated by the diaphragm.

Cranial cavity

The cavity within the skull that houses the brain.

Vertebral (spinal) canal

The canal within the vertebral column that contains the spinal cord.

Thoracic cavity

Chest cavity enclosed by the rib cage; contains heart and lungs and is subdivided by the mediastinum; includes pleural and pericardial cavities.

Mediastinum

Central compartment between the lungs containing the heart, great vessels, trachea, esophagus, and thymus.

Pleural cavities

Two lateral cavities around the lungs, each lined by pleura.

Pericardial cavity

Cavity around the heart, lined by the pericardium.

Abdominopelvic cavity

Combined cavity of the abdomen and pelvis; separated by the pelvic brim; lined by peritoneum.

Abdominal cavity

Contains the GI tract, kidneys, and ureters; located above the brim of the pelvis.

Pelvic cavity

Contains the rectum, bladder, and reproductive organs; located below the brim.

Peritoneum

Serous membrane lining the abdominal cavity (parietal) and covering organs (visceral).

Visceral peritoneum

Peritoneum covering abdominal organs.

Parietal peritoneum

Peritoneum lining the abdominal cavity.

Greater omentum

A fatty apron hanging from the stomach and transverse colon.

Lesser omentum

Connects the lesser curvature of the stomach to the liver.

Mesentery

Fold of peritoneum attaching the intestines to the posterior abdominal wall and carrying vessels and nerves.

Retroperitoneal

Located behind the peritoneum (e.g., kidneys, parts of the pancreas).

Abdominal quadrants

Four regions created by perpendicular lines through the umbilicus to describe pain or injury.

Nine abdominal regions

Nine-region system: epigastric, umbilical, hypogastric; and right/left hypochondriac, right/left lumbar, right/left iliac (inguinal).

Axial region

Head, neck, and trunk; the central axis of the body.

Appendicular region

Upper and lower limbs; the appendages.

Upper extremity

Shoulder to hand; includes the arm, forearm, and hand.

Lower extremity

Hip to toes; includes the thigh, leg, and foot.