Body Position; Planes of Section; Directional Terms

anatomical position

-reference position fro anatomical description

-an individual in anatomical position is standing erect with arms at sides, palms facing forward with fingers pointing downward, feet parallel to each other and flat on the floor, and eyes directed forward

prone

-position of the body when lying face down

-for forearm movement (in anatomical position), pronation directs palm facing posteriorly

-opposite of supine

supine

-position of the body when lying face up

-for forearm movement (in anatomical position), supination directs palms anteriorly

-opposite of prone

coronal plane / frontal plane

-a vertical plane that passes the long axis of the body, dividing it into anterior, and posterior portions

median plane / midsagittal plane

-a vertical plane the passes parallel to the long axis of the body through the midline of the body, dividing it into right and left halves

-median plane is a specific example of a sagittal plane

oblique plane

-a plane that passes through the body at an angle, and is not one of the standard anatomical planes

sagittal plane

a vertical plane that passes parallel along the axis of the body, dividing it into right and left portions

-sometimes called parasagittal plane

-median (midsagittal) plane passes through midline of the body and divides it into equal right and left halves

transverse plane

a horizontal plane that passes perpendicular to the long axis of the body, dividing it into superior and inferior portions

-also called horizontal plane or cross-section

-can be named for specific landmarks that they pass through, e.g. subcostal plane, transumbilical plane, and intertubular plane

anterior

toward the front of the body

-ex: the sternum is anterior to the heart

-opposite of posterior

-ventral, sometimes used synonymously with anterior, relates to belly

deep

away from the surface of the body or organ

-ex: bones are deep to skin and skeletal muscles

-opposite of anterior

distal

father from the trunk or origin of a structure

-ex: the wrist is distal to the elbow

-opposite of proximal

inferior

downward or below

-ex: the diaphragm is inferior to the heart

-opposite of superior

-in humans, synonymous with caudal (toward the tail)

lateral

away from the midline of the body

-ex: the lungs are lateral to the heart

-opposite of medial

medial

toward the midline of the body

-ex: the heart is medial to the lungs

-opposite of lateral

posterior

toward the back of the body or relating to the back

-ex: the heart is posterior to the sternum

-opposite of anterior

-dorsal sometimes used synonymously with posterior, relates to the back

proximal

closer to the trunk or origin of a structure

-ex: the elbow is proximal to the wrist

-opposite of distal

superficial

toward the surface of the body or organ

-ex: skin is superficial to muscles

-opposite of deep

superior

upward or above

-ex: the heart is superior to the diaphragm

-opposite of inferior

-cranial sometimes used synonymously with superior, relates to the head