Review 1B - Body Regions & Directional Terms

frontal

forehead

orbital, ocular

eye/eye socket

otic, auricular

ear

buccal

cheek

mental

chin

temporal

between eye and ear

nasal

nose

oral

mouth

cervical

neck

thoracic

chest or upper back

abdominal

between thoracic and pelvic (stomach area)

pelvic

between hips and torso

lumbar

lower back

sacral

below lumbar, pelvic area in the back

axillary

armpit

brachial

upper arm, above elbow

antebrachial

lower arm, below elbow

carpal

wrist

metacarpal

body of hand

digits (hands)

fingers

pollex

thumb

femoral

thigh

patellar

front of knee

popliteal

back of knee

tarsal

ankle, heel, back of foot

metatarsal

body of foot

calcaneal

heel

digits (feet)

toes

hallux

big toe

anatomical position

reference point for orientational terms (standing, limbs aligned with body, palms forward, soles of feet on ground)

quadrupeds/fishes - cranial

toward head

quadrupeds/fishes - caudal

toward tail

quadrupeds/fishes - anterior

toward head

quadrupeds/fishes - posterior

toward tail

quadrupeds/fishes - ventral

belly side

quadrupeds/fishes - dorsal

back side

superior

toward head

inferior

toward feet

anterior

belly side

posterior

back side

medial

toward midline of body

lateral

toward side of body

deep/internal

toward core

superficial/external

toward surface

proximal

toward attachment point of trunk

distal

away from attachment point of trunk

intermediate

in between

ipsilateral

on same side of the body

contralateral

on the opposite sides of the body

supine

face up

prone

face down

sagittal section

plane divides body into right and left sections

frontal, coronal, longitudinal section

plane divides body into anterior and posterior sections

transverse, horizontal, cross section

plane divides body into superior and inferior sections