Anatomical Positions

medial

midline of body/structure

lateral

pertaining to a side

axis

line that runs through center of body/body part

superior/cepholad

toward head/upper part of body

inferior/caudal

away from head/toward lower part of structure

proximal

near centre of trunk/point of attachment

distal

further from centre or point of attachment

anterior (ventral)

front of body

posterior (dorsal)

back of body

anterior-posterior (AP)

from front to back - commonly associated with direction of xray beam

posterior-anterior (PA)

from back to front - commonly associated with direction of xray beam

parietal

pertaining to outer wall of body cavity

viscera

pertaining to viscera/internal organs (especially abdominal organs)

palmar

pertaining to palm of hand

plantar

pertaining to sole of foot

superficial

toward the surface of body (external)

deep

away from surface of body (internal)

coronal/frontal plane

vertical division of body into front (anterior) and back (posterior) portions

sagittal plane

vertical division of body into right and left portions

transverse plane

horizontal division of body into upper and lower portions

quadrant

roughly circular areas of body divided into quadrats (ex. abdomen)

4 quadrants: right upper, right lower, left upper, left lower

all intersecting at umbilicus

erect

normal standing position

lateral decubitus

to lie down/lying on side

prone

lying face down and flat

recumbent

lying down

supine

horizontal recumbent/lying flat on back