NREMT Directional Terms

caudad

toward the tail (downward)

cephalad

toward the head (upward)

lateral

pertaining to the side

medial

pertaining to the middle

unilateral

pertaining to one side (only)

bilateral

pertaining to two sides

mediolateral

pertaining to the middle and to the side

distal

pertaining to away (from the point of attachment of a body)

proximal

pertaining to near (to the point of attachment of a body part)

inferior

pertaining to below

superior

pertaining to above

caudal

pertaining to the tail (synonymous with inferior when specifying location in the trunk of the body)

cephalic

pertaining to the head

anterior

pertaining to the front

posterior

pertaining to the back

dorsal

pertaining to the back

ventral

pertaining to the belly (front)

anteroposterior

pertaining to the front and to the back

posteroanterior

pertaining to the back to the front

frontal or coronal

vertical plane passing through the body from side to side, dividing the body into anterior and posterior portions

midsagittal

vertical plane passing through the body from front to back at the midline, dividing the body equally into right and left halves

parasagittal

vertical plane passing through the body, dividing the body into unequal left and right sides

sagittal

vertical plane passing through the body from front to back, dividing the body into right and left sides (any plane parallel to the midsagittal plane)

transverse

horizontal plane dividing the body into superior and inferior portions

recumbent

lying down in any position such as supine, prone, or on one side

prone

lying face down

left lateral recumbent

lying on patient’s left side, right knee might be upward

right lateral recumbant

lying on patients right side, left knee may be upward

fowler position

patient is sitting with the head of the bed raised between 30 and 90 degrees

umbilical region

around the navel

lumbar regions (2)

to the left and right of the umbilical region, near the waist

epigastric region (1)

superior to the umbilical region

hypogastric region (1)

inferior to the umbilical region

hypochondriac regions (2)

to the right and left of the epigastric regions

iliac regions (2)

to the right and left of the hypogastric region, near the groin