Anatomical Terms

Anatomical Position

Standing upright, legs slightly apart, palms facing up

Prone

Laying face down on the stomach

Supine

Laying face up on the back

Superior

closer to the head; above

Inferior

closer to the feet; below

Ventral, Anterior

Towards to the front of the body

Dorsal, Posterior

Towards to the back of the body

Medial

Towards to the midline of the body

Lateral

Further away from the midline

Proximal

Closet to the attachment (limbs only)

Distal

Furthest from attachment (limbs only)

Superficial

toward or at the body surface

Deep (internal)

away from the body surface; internal

Cranial (cephalic)

Towards the head

Ipsilateral

On the same side

Contralateral

On the opposite side

Abdominal

Region inferior to the thorax (chest) and superior to the pelvic brim of the hip bones

Antebrachial

Forearm (between the elbow and the wrist)

Antecubital

Region anterior to the elbow

Auricular

Visible surface structures of the ear

Axillary

Armpit

Brachial

Arm (the portion of the upper limb between the shoulder and the elbow)

Buccal

Cheek

Calcaneal

Heel of the foot

Carpal

Wrist

Cephalic

Head

Cervical

Neck

Coxal

Hip

Cranial

Skull

Crural

Lower leg (from knee to the ankle)

Deltoid

Shoulder

Digital

Fingers and toes

Dorsal

Back

Facial

Face

Femoral

Thigh

Fibular

Lateral aspect of the leg

Frontal

Forehead

Gluteal

Buttock

Hallux

Big toe

Inguinal

Groin

Lumbar

Lower back

Mammary

Breast

Manus

Hand

Mental

Chin

Nasal

Nose

Occipital

Back of the head

Olecranal

Back of the elbow

Oral

Mouth

Orbital

Eye

Palmar

Palm

Patellar

Kneecap

Pectoral

Chest

Pelvic

Pelvis

Perineal

Diamond shaped region between the thighs that contains the anus and external reproductive organs

Pes

Foot

Plantar

Sole of the foot

Pollex

Thumb

Popliteal

Back of the knee

Pubic

Groin region

Radial

Lateral aspect (thumb side) of forearm

Sacral

Coccyx

Scapular

Shoulder blade

Sternal

Sternum

Sural

Calf

Tarsal

Ankle area

Thoracic

Chest region

Tibial

Medial aspect of the leg

Ulnar

Medial aspect (pinky side) of the forearm

Umbilical

Navel

Vertebral

Spinal column

.

.

.

Midsagittal plane

Equal halfs

Parasagittal plane

unequal halfs

Frontal Planes

Anterior and posterior

Thoracic Cavity

surrounded by the ribs and muscles of the chest

Pericardial Cavity

encloses the heart and also surrounds the the remaining thoracic organs (esophagus, trachea, and others)

Abdominal Cavity

Contains stomach, intestines, spleen, and liver, and other organs

Pelvic Cavity

Contains urinary bladder, reproductive organs, and rectum

Serosa (Serous Membrane)

the walls of the ventral body cavity and the outer surfaces of the organs it contains are covered by this thin double layered membrane

Visceral Serosa

covers the internal organs

What is anatomy?

the study of structure

What is physiology?

the study of function at many levels

What is gross or macroscopic anatomy?

the study of large body parts, visible to the naked eye

What are the levels of structural organization?

chemical, cellular, tissue, organ, organ system and organismal level

What does the digestive system do?

Breaks down food to absorb into the bloodstream

What does the respiratory system do?

Moving 02 and removing co2 from the bloodstream

What does the urinary system do?

removes waste from the body (nitrogenous wastes)

What does the cardiovascular system do?

Transports nutrients, waste, co2, and o2

What does the integumentary system do?

protects the body as a whole from the external environment

What are the main parts of the integumentary system?

hair, nails and skin

What are the main parts of the Skeletal System?

bones and joints

What is the main part of the muscular system?

skeletal muscles

What are the main parts of the nervous system?

the brain, nerves and spinal cord

What are the main parts of the endocrine system?

pineal, pituitary, thyroid and adrenal gland, thymus, pancreas, ovaries and testis

What are the main parts of the cardiovascular system?

blood vessels and heart

main parts of lymphatic system/ immunity

red bone marrow, thymus, lymphatic vessels, thoracic duct, spleen, and lymph nodes

main parts of respiratory system

nasal cavity, pharynx, larynx, trachea, lungs and bronchus

main parts of digestive system

oral cavity, esophagus, liver, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, rectum , and anus