anatomical body terms

anatomical position

standard position: palms forward, feet flat on the ground

supine

laying on back

prone

laying face down

cephalic region

head

cranial

skull

frontal

forehead

temporal

temple

occipital

base of skull

facial region

face

orbital/ocular

eye

auricle/otic

ear

buccal

cheek

nasal

nose

oral

mouth

mental

chin

cervical

neck

trunk region

chest to hips

thoracic

chest

axillary

armpit

sternal

breastbone

mammary

breast

abdominal

abdomen

umbilical

navel

pelvic

pelvis

inguinal

groin

pubis

lower anterior

perineal

region of anus and external genitals

dorsal

back/posterior

scapular

shoulder blade

vertebral

spinal column

lumbar

loin

sacral

between hips

upper limp region

shoulder to hand

brachial

arm/shoulder to elbow

olecranal/cubital

back of elbow

antecubital

front of elbow

antebrachial

forearm

manual

hand

carpal

wrist

palmar/volar

anterior part of hand

dorsum

back of hand/top of foot

digits/phalangeal

fingers and toes

pollex

thumb

coxal

hip

gluteal

buttock

femoral

thigh

patellar

anterior part of knee

popliteal

hollow behind knee

crural

leg/knee to foot

sural

calf

pedal

foot

tarsal

ankle

plantar

sole of foot

hallux

big toe

calcaneal

heel

anterior/ventral

frontside

posterior/dorsal

backside

superior

toward head

inferior

away from head

medial

towards middle

lateral

further from middle

proximal

closer to origin point

distal

further from point of origin

caudal

tail/tailbone

deep

into tissue

superficial

closer to exterior of tissue

transverse

horizontal plane (always creates ovals)

coronal/frontal

plane create anterior and posterior portions (can see symmetry)

median/sagittal

plane that creates right and left half down the middle

paramedian/parasagittal

parallel to midline

oblique

plane at an angle