Human Anatomy Quiz 2: Planes and Sections

superior

always appear above other structures

inferior

always below other structures

anterior

structures that are most forward (e.g. the face, chest, and abdomen)

posterior

structures that are toward the backside of the body

medial

toward the midline

lateral

away from the midline or median plane

cephalad, cranial

toward the head

caudal

toward the tail

superior, inferior, anterior, posterior

In humans, these terms (cranial, caudal) are used interchangeably with ______ and _______ but in vertebrates, they are synonymous with _______ and ________ respectively.

dorsal

animal's back or the backside of any other structures, human posterior = animal ______

ventral

refers to the belly side of animals

anterior, posterior, inferior, superior

in humans the terms ventral and dorsal are used interchangeably with the terms ________ and _________. In four-legged animals, ventral and dorsal are synonymous with ________ and _______ respectively

proximal

nearer the trunk or attached end

distal

farther from the trunk or point of attachment

superficial, external

toward or at the body surface

deep, internal

away from the body surface

frontal plane

median plane, midsagittal plane

transverse plane

section

a slice of tissue, made through a body wall or through an organ

plane

an imaginary surface or line

sagittal plane

a plane that runs longitudinally and divides the body into right and left parts

median, midsagittal plane

if a plane divides the body into equal parts, right down the median plane of the body, it is called a ______, or ________ _____

parasagittal planes

all other sagittal planes are referred to as

frontal plane

sometimes called a coronal plane, the ______ _____ is a longitudinal plane that divides the body into anterior and posterior parts

transverse plane

runs horizontally, dividing the body into superior and inferior parts

cross sections

When organs are sectioned along the transverse plane, the sections are commonly called ____ _______