Body Planes

Transverse plane

Divides the body into top and bottom halves

Sagittal plane

Divides the body into left and right sides

Midsagittal plane

Divides the body into equal left and right halves

Frontal plane

Divides the body into front and back sections

Coronal plane

Another name for the frontal plane

Superior

Toward the top of the body

Inferior

Toward the bottom of the body

Cranial

Toward the head

Caudal

Toward the tail or lower body

Anterior

Toward the front of the body

Ventral

Another term for anterior

Posterior

Toward the back of the body

Dorsal

Another term for posterior

Medial

Toward the midline

Lateral

Away from the midline

Proximal

Closer to the point of reference or trunk

Distal

Farther from the point of reference or trunk

Dorsal cavity

Posterior cavity containing brain and spinal cord

Cranial cavity

Contains the brain

Spinal cavity

Contains the spinal cord

Ventral cavity

Anterior cavity containing thoracic and abdominopelvic organs

Thoracic cavity

Contains heart, lungs, trachea, esophagus

Abdominal cavity

Contains stomach, liver, intestines, spleen, pancreas

Pelvic cavity

Contains bladder, reproductive organs, last part of large intestine

RUQ

Right upper abdominal quadrant

LUQ

Left upper abdominal quadrant

RLQ

Right lower abdominal quadrant

LLQ

Left lower abdominal quadrant

Right hypochondriac region

Upper right region under ribs

Epigastric region

Upper middle region

Left hypochondriac region

Upper left region under ribs

Right lumbar region

Middle right region

Umbilical region

Central region around the navel

Left lumbar region

Middle left region

Right iliac region

Lower right region

Hypogastric region

Lower middle region

Left iliac region

Lower left region