Body regions/direction terms/body cavaties

cephalic

otic

orbital

oral

frontal

buccal

nasal

mental

cervical

occipital

abdominal

umbilicus

pelvic

inguinal

pubic

perineal

pectoral

mammary

sternal

vertebral

scapular

doral

lumbar

sacral

gluteal

upper extremity

acromial

axillary

brachial

antecubital

antebrachial

carpal

palmar

digital

pollex

manus

olecranal

lower extremity

coxal

femoral

patellar

popliteal

sural

crural

fibular (peroneal)

tarsal

pedal

calcaneal

hallux (big) and digits

dorsum of foot

plantar region

directional terms

are used to precisely locate on part of the body relative to another and to reduce length of explanations

superior

towards the head or towards top on an organ

→ the eyes are superior to the mouth

inferior

away from the head or the bottom on an organ  

→ the stomach is inferior to the heart

cranial

AKA SUPERIOR- toward the head

caudal

AKA INFERIOR- toward the lower part of the structure or body

medial 

towards the midline of the body 

→ the heart lies medial to the lungs

lateral

father from the midline of the body

→ the thumb is lateral to the pinky

proximal

nearer to the attachment of the limb to the trunk

→ the knee is proximal to the ankle

→ USE IN UPPER AND LOWER EXTREMITY ONLY

distal

farther from the attachment of the limb to the trunk 

→ the wrist is distal to the elbow 

→ ONLY USE IN UPPER AND LOWER EXTREMITY

dorsal

→ toward the back of the body

→ AKA POSTERIOR

→ ex: the spinal cord is dorsal to the heart

ventral

→ towards the front of the body 

→ AKA ANTERIOR 

→ the sternum is anterior to the heart 

intermediate

→ between a more medial and more lateral structure

→ the collar bone is intermediate to the breast bone and shoulder

superficial

→ toward the body surface

→ AKA EXTERNAL

→ the skin is superfical to the muscles

deep

→ away from the body surface 

→ AKA INTERNAL 

→ the bones are deep to the skin

contralateral

→ structures on opposite sides of the body midline

ipsilateral

→ same side of the midline

dorsal cavity

protects the nervous system, and is divided into two subdivisions

→ CV

cranial cavity

within the skull; encases the brain

vertebral cavity

runs within the vertebral column; encases the spinal cord 

ventral cavity

houses the internal organs (viscera) and is divided into two subdivisions 

→ TA

thoracic cavity

→ contains heart and lungs

abdominalpelvic cavity

→ contains digestive vicera, bladder, reproductive organs, and rectum

diaphragm muscle

seperates (#6, and #5)

abdominal quadrants

→ GLASS

RUQ- GL (gaulbladder, liver)

RLQ- A (appendix)

LUQ- BIG S LITTLE S (stomach, splene)

LLQ- BIG S (stomach)