Gross Anatomy

Anatomical Position

1) Standing upright

2) Lower limbs together or slightly apart and feet flat

3) Upper limbs at the sides with palms forward and thumbs away from the body

4) Head and eyes straight forward

Why is anatomical position important?

Accurate description of a location

Relate one part of a body precisely to another one

Reference point for other colleagues

Thorax

Chest

Brachium

Arm (shoulder to elbow)

Antebrachium

Forearm (up to wrist)

Carpus

Wrist

Tarsus

Ankle

Anatomical Planes

Imaginary planes intersect the body in the anatomical position

Coronal

Frontal

Divides the body into front and back sections

No such thing has mid-coronal plane

Horizontal

Axial or transverse

Divides the body into upper and lower segments

Images taken as if you are looking up at pt

Sagittal

Longitudinal, lateral, or median/midsagittal

Divides the body into L and R—can be externally equal if down the middle of body

Passes through midline structures like naval and spine

Parasagittal plane

Off center but parallel or adjacent to the midsagittal plane

Unequal halves

Superior

Closer to head or higher than another structure

Inferior

Closer to feet or lower than another structure

Anterior or ventral

One structure in front of another or closer to front

Posterior or dorsal

One structure behind another or closer to back

Proximal

Closer to the heart

Distal

Farther away from the heart

Medial

Closer to midline

Lateral

Farther from the midline

Unilateral

One side

Bilateral

Two side but same structure

Ipsilateral

On the same side of the body

Contralateral

Opposite side of the body and different structures

Abduction

Away from midline, “bye-bye”

Adduction

Towards the midline

Flexion

Decreasing the angle between two bones or parts of the body

Extension

Straightening or increasing the angle between two bones or parts of the body

Shoulder and spinal column

Flexion: anterior movement, ex. dropping chin, bending forward

Extension: backward movement, ex. lifting chin, bending backwards

Hip

Flex: anterior movement of the leg

Ext: backward movement of the leg

Lateral flexion

Side bending left or right

Coronal plane

Rotation

Multiple planes

Turning on a single axis

External rotation

Rotation of a limb away from midline

Internal rotation

Rotation of a limb toward midline

Circumduction

Circular movement, one end of the body region stays relatively stationary while the other makes a circle

Sequential combo of flexion, adduction, extension, and abduction at a joint

Supination

Rotating the hand or foot upward

Hold a “sup” bowl

Pronation

Rotating the hand or foot downward

Supine and prone

On your back and on your stomach

X-ray

Images created by how much radiation is absorbed by each part of the body

Dense material absorbs more (bone) and will appear white

Computed Tomography

Narrow beams of xray rotate around the body

Creates cross sectional imaging

Calcified tissue

MRI

Uses the water in the body to align protons with magnetic field

Lots of water→ shows up white

Organs and soft tissue

OCT

Use light waves to create cross sectional images of the eye

B-scan ultrasonography

Used to visualize the posterior segment of the eye