Anatomical Terminology: Planes, Regions, Cavities, Movements, and Bone Markings

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering anatomical planes, directional terms, anatomical body regions, body cavities, quadrants, regions, body movements, and bone markings.

Superficial

Toward the surface of the body.

Deep

Away from the surface of the body.

Parietal

Toward the outer wall of a body cavity.

Visceral

Pertaining to the covering of an organ, or relating to an internal organ.

Somatic

Related to the body.

Midsagittal plane

A cut from anterior to posterior, separating the body into right and left halves.

Parasagittal plane

A section parallel to a midsagittal plane.

Transverse (cross-section)

A cut in a horizontal plane separating the body into upper and lower portions.

Coronal (frontal)

A section through the body which produces a front (anterior) portion and a back (posterior) portion.

Cranial (body region)

Skull.

Cephalic

Head.

Frontal

Forehead.

Mental

Chin.

Buccal

Cheek.

Cervical

Neck.

Acromial

Shoulder.

Axillary

Armpit.

Brachial

Arm.

Antecubital

In the front of elbow.

Olecranal (cubital)

Elbow.

Antebrachial

Forearm.

Carpal

Wrist.

Pollex

Thumb.

Coxal

Hip.

Gluteal

Buttock.

Inguinal

Groin.

Pubic

Genital.

Perineal

Between anus and external genitalia.

Femoral

Thigh.

Patellar

Knee.

Popliteal

In the back of knee.

Crural

Leg.

Calcaneal

Heel of foot.

Plantar

Sole of foot.

Hallux

Big toe.

Posterior (dorsal) body cavity

The body cavity divided into the cranial and spinal (vertebral) cavities.

Anterior (ventral) body cavity

The body cavity consisting of the thoracic and abdominopelvic cavities.

Cranial cavity

Cavity located within the skull that contains the brain.

Spinal (vertebral) cavity

Cavity continuous with the cranial cavity extending through the vertebral column that contains the spinal cord.

Thoracic cavity

Cavity enclosed by the rib cage lying superior to the diaphragm, divided into the right and left pleural cavities and the mediastinum.

Pleural cavities

The right and left cavities within the thoracic cavity that surround the lungs.

Mediastinum

The central compartment of the thoracic cavity that includes the pericardial cavity and the superior mediastinum.

Pericardial cavity

The compartment of the mediastinum that surrounds the heart.

Superior mediastinum

The compartment of the mediastinum that contains the esophagus, trachea, and the great vessels.

Abdominopelvic cavity

Cavity inferior to the diaphragm that is divided into the abdominal cavity and the pelvic cavity.

Abdominal cavity

Cavity that contains many of the digestive organs.

Pelvic cavity

Cavity enclosed by the hip bones that contains the urinary bladder, reproductive organs, and portions of the large intestine.

Orbital cavities

Cavities located in the anterior portion of the skull that contain the eyeballs.

Nasal cavity

Cavity located behind the nose.

Buccal cavity

The oral cavity (mouth).

Four Quadrants

Superficial divisions of the abdominopelvic cavity: right upper quadrant, right lower quadrant, left upper quadrant, and left lower quadrant.

Nine Regions

Abdominopelvic divisions used for anatomical studies: right hypochondriac, epigastric, left hypochondriac, right lumbar, umbilical, left lumbar, right iliac, hypogastric, and left iliac.

Flexion

Brings the two ends of an extremity closer together.

Extension

The opposite of flexion.

Rotation

The revolving of a body part on its long axis (movement around an axis).

Circumduction

Movement of the distal end of an extremity in circle while the proximal end remains stationary (movement around a point).

Abduction

Movement of a part of the body away from the midline.

Adduction

Opposite of abduction.

Supination

Rotation of the forearm so that the palm of the hand faces either anteriorly or superiorly.

Pronation

The opposite of supination.

Inversion

Moving the sole of the foot medially.

Eversion

Moving the sole of the foot laterally.

Opposition

Moving the thumb to oppose the rest of the fingers.

Elevation

Movement of the lower jaw upward, closed.

Depression

Movement of the lower jaw downward, open.

Protraction

Moving lower jaw forward.

Retraction

Moving lower jaw backward.

Head (bone marking)

Rounded bony extension carried on a narrow neck.

Condyle

Rounded articular projection.

Facet

Smooth nearly flat articular surface.

Fossa

Shallow basin-like depression often served as an articular surface.

Fovea

A small depression smaller than fossa.

Ramus

Arm-like projection.

Tuberosity

Spread-out large rounded projection.

Tubercle

Small rounded projection.

Process

Any bony prominence.

Crest

Narrow, usually prominent ridge on the bone.

Line (bone marking)

Narrow ridge, less prominent than a crest.

Spine (bone marking)

Sharp slender projection.

Epicondyle

Raised area above a condyle.

Foramen

Round or oval opening through the bone (plural: foramina).

Meatus

Canal-like passageway.

Groove

Furrow.

Sulcus

A very shallow furrow (plural: sulci).

Fissure

Narrow slit-like opening.

Notch

Indentation on the edge of the bone.

Sinus

Cavity within the bone filled with air.