Anatomical Locations and Positions

Medical Terminology for Healthcare Professionals 10/e

Anatomical position assumes what?

the body is erect

the head is facing forward

arms are by the sides with palms to the front

Left and right refer to who’s point of view?

the patient

What are planes?

imaginary lines that divide the body into different sections

Sagittal plane

vertically divides body into right and left sides

Midsagittal plane

divides the body into equal left and right halves

Transverse/horizontal plane

divides the body into superior and inferior portions

Coronal/frontal plane

divides the body into front and back portions

What are directional and positional terms?

describe the location of organs or body parts in relationship to one another

Anterior/ventral

towards the front

Anterior combining form

anter/o

Posterior/dorsal

towards the back

Posterior combining form

poster/o

Superior/cranial

towards the head

Inferior/caudal

towards the tail

Inferior combining form

infer/o

Caudal combining form

caud/o

Proximal

closer to the point of origin; generally the trunk

Proximal combining form

proxim/o

Distal

Farther away from the point of origin; generally the trunk

Distal combining form

dist/o

Medial

closer to the midline of the body or body part

Medial combining form

medi/o

Lateral

farther away from the midline of the body or a body part

Lateral combining form

later/o

Superficial

closer to the surface

Deep

farther below the surface

What are body cavities?

a hollow space containing body organs

What are the two primary body cavities?

the ventral/inferior and dorsal/posterior cavity

What is the ventral cavity?

the hollow part of the torso, extends from the neck to the pelvis

What are the three subdivisions of the ventral cavity?

thoracic, abdominal, and pelvic cavity

Where is the thoracic cavity and what does it contain?

in the chest area, contains the heart, lungs, esophagus, trachea, and thymus

What are the cavities within the thoracic cavity?

pericardial and pleural cavity

Where is the abdominal cavity, and what does it contain?

below the diaphragm and contains most digestive organs

How is the pelvic cavity formed and what does it contain?

formed by the bones of the pelvic area and contains the reproduction and elimination organs

What does the dorsal cavity contain?

contains the structures of the nervous system

What are the subdivisions of the dorsal cavity?

cranial and spinal cavity

What is the abdominopelvic cavity?

a combination of the abdominal and pelvic cavity

What are the nine regions of the abdominal pelvic cavity?

right/left hypochondriac: the upper right/left region at the level of the ninth rib cartilage

epigastric: region over the stomach

right/left lumbar: right/left middle lateral region

umbilical: in the center/the navel

right/left iliac (inguinal): right/left lower lateral region

hypogastric: lower middle region below navel

What are the quadrants of the abdomen

right upper quadrant (RUQ)

left upper quadrant (LUQ)

right lower quadrant (RLQ)

left lower quadrant (LLQ)

What does the RUQ contain

contains the right lobe of the liver, gallbladder, part of the pancreas, and part of the small and large intestines

What does the LUQ contain

contains the left lobe of the liver, stomach, spleen, part of the pancreas, and part of the small and large intestines

What does the RLQ contain

contains part of the small and large intestines, appendix, right ovary, right fallopian tube, right ureter

What does the LLQ contain

contains part of the small and large intestines, left ovary, left fallopian tube, left ureter

What is the trunk of the body?

the torso; central part of the human body