Prefixes and Suffixes

A- / An- / Anano-

not, against

Dia-

complete

Ecto-

outer/outside

Hyper-

too much/excessive

Hypo-

too little/below normal

Peri-

around/surrounding

Pro-

before/in front

Retro-

behind

Sub-

below

Trans-

through/across

Pain

-algia

Cell

-cyte

Removal

-ectomy

Blood condition

-emia

Inflammation

-itis

Tumor/mass

-oma

To view

-opsy

Body position

Definition

Supine

lying face up

Prone

lying face down

Anterior

at the front

Posterior

at the back

Midline

line splitting right side from left side

Medial

near midline (center of body)

Lateral

away from midline (center of body)

Superior view

toward top of body, furthest from head

Inferior view

toward feet, furthest from head

Deep

away from surface of body

Superficial

close to surface of body

Distal

far from origination of structure

Proximal

near to origination of structure

Planes and sections

Definition

Frontal/coronal plane

divides front to back

Transverse

divides from superior (upper) and inferior (lower)

Oblique plane

divides at an angle

Sagittal plane

divides right from left