Anatomy Terms

Anatomy

The study of structure & identification of the body parts; to cut up

Physiology

The study of function. How the parts of body work.

Physis = nature

ology = The study of

Pathology

The study of disease and the disease processes. What makes you sick.

Pathos = suffering

Microscopic Anatomy

The study of anatomy on a microscopic level, can not study without the aid of a microscope.

a. histology

b. cytology

Histology

The study of tissues

cytology

the study of cells

Gross anatomy

the study of anatomy on a large scale, you can see with the unaided eye

Regional anatomy

The study of anatomy by regions of the body

Systemic anatomy

The stuy of anatomy by systems in the body

Anatomical Position

Standing upright, head facing forwards, arms by the side w/ palms facing forward, feet flat on the ground, toes forward

superior/cephalic

over, on top

inferior/caudal

under, below

anterior/ventral

front

posterior/dorsal

back

medial

towards the middle

lateral

going away from the middle

intermediate

in between 2 structures

Ipsilateral

same side of the body

contralateral

opposite side of the body

proximal

close; towards where it came from (point of origin)

Distal

far; away from where it came from (point of origin)

Superficial

towards the surface

deep

deep or far in

sagittal plane

divides the body into a right and left side

midsagittal plane

equal left and right sides

parasagittal plane

2 sides are not equally cut

transverse plane

divides the body into a top and bottom

coronal/frontal plane

divides body into front and back (anterior and posterior)