Anatomy & Physiology (LAB 1) - Body Planes, Cavities, & Different Terms

Describe the standard anatomical position

Body erect, feet slightly apart, palms facing forward with thumbs pointing away from body

Directional terms

allow body parts to be located precisely. Direction is always based on standard anatomical position

Superior (cranial)

toward the head end or upper part of a structure or the body; above

Inferior (caudal)

Away from head end or toward the lower part of the body

Anterior (ventral)

front of the body; toward the front

Posterior (dorsal)

back of the body; toward the back

Medial

toward the midline of the body

Lateral

away from the midline of the body

Intermediate

between a more medial and a more lateral structure

Proximal

closer to the origin of the body part or the point of attachment of a limb to the body trunk

Distal

farther from the origin of a body part or the point of attachment of a limb to the body trunk

Superficial (external)

toward or at the body surface

Deep (internal)

away from the body surface; more internal

Afferent

going towards

Efferent

going away from

The nose is ________ to the lips

superior

The knee is ______ to the ankle

proximal

The eyes are _______ to the ears

medial

Axial part

makes up the main axis of our body, includes the head, neck, and trunk.

Appendicular part

consists of the appendages, or limbs, which are attached to the body's axis

Body planes

surfaces along which body or structures may be cut for anatomical study. Main are...
- Sagittal
- Transverse
- Coronal

Sagittal plane (median plane)

divides body/body part into left & right sections

Transverse plane (horizontal plane)

divides the body into upper and lower portions

Coronal plane (frontal plane)

vertical division of the body into front (anterior) and back (posterior) portions

Parasagittal plane

divides body into unequal right and left sides

Oblique plane (angular)

cut made diagonally between horizontal & vertical planes

Body cavities

spaces within the body that contain vital organs

Dorsal cavity

protects fragile nervous system
- includes the cranial and spinal cavities

Ventral cavity

houses the internal organs (collectively called viscera)
- thoracic cavity and abdominopelvic cavity

Pleural cavities

each cavity surrounds one lung

Mediastinum

contains pericardial cavity
- surrounds other thoracic organs, such as esophagus, trachea, etc

Pericardial cavity

contains the heart

Abdominal cavity

contains stomach, intestines, spleen, and liver

Pelvic cavity

Contains urinary bladder, reproductive organs, and rectum

Serosae

Thin double layered membranes that cover surfaces within ventral body cavity (aka serous membrane)

Parietal serosa

lines internal body cavity walls

Visceral serosa

covers internal organs (viscera)

Serous Membrane Relationships

serous membranes are named for specific cavities & organs

Pericardium serosae

parietal pericardium line the pericardial cavity and fold back as the visceral pericardium
- covers the Heart

Pleurae serosae

parietal pleurae line the walls of the thoracic cavity
- visceral pleurae cover the lungs

Peritoneum

parietal peritoneum associated with walls of abdominopelvic cavity
- visceral peritoneum covers most of the organs within that cavity

Abdominopelvic Quadrants

divisions used primarily by medical personnel
- Right upper quadrant (RUQ)
- Left upper quadrant (LUQ)
- Right lower quadrant (RLQ)
- Left lower quadrant (LLQ)

Nine Abdominopelvic Regions

right hypochondriac, epigastric, left hypochondriac, right lumbar, umbilical, left lumbar, right iliac (inguinal), hypogastric, left iliac (inguinal)

Regional terms

Anatomical terms that refer to specific visible landmarks on the surface of the body

Frontal

pertaining to the forehead

Orbital

pertaining to the eyes

Buccal

pertaining to the cheek

Mental

pertaining to the chin

Acromial

pertaining to the shoulder

Axillary

pertaining to the armpit

Mammary

pertaining to the nipples

Brachial

pertaining to the upper arm

Olecranal

pertaining to the elbow

Antecubital

pertaining to the front of elbow

Antebrachial

pertaining to the forearm

Carpal

pertaining to the wrist

Cervical

pertaining to the neck

Abdominal

pertaining to the abdomen

Umbilical

pertaining to the belly button

Sternal

pertaining to the breastbone

Pectoral

pertaining to the chest

Nasal

pertaining to the nose

Oral

pertaining to the mouth

Manus

pertaining to the hand

Metacarpal

pertaining to the back of the hand

Palmar

pertaining to the front of the hand

Pollex

pertaining to the thumb

Digital

pertaining to the fingers/toes

Otic

pertaining to the ear

Occipital

pertaining to the back of the head

Dorsal

pertaining to the back

Scapular

pertaining to the shoulder blades

Vertebral

pertaining to the spine

Lumbar

pertaining to the lower back

Sacral

pertaining to the posterior area between hips

Gluteal

pertaining to the buttocks

Perineal

pertaining to the area between anus and external genitalia

Inguinal

pertaining to the groin

Genital

pertaining to the genitalia

Coxal

pertaining to the hip

Femoral

pertaining to the thigh

Patellar

pertaining to the knee cap

Popliteal

pertaining to the area posterior to knee cap

Crural

pertaining to the lower leg

Sural

pertaining to the calf

Fibular/Peroneal

pertaining to the lateral side of leg

Pedal

pertaining to the foot

Tarsal

pertaining to the ankle

Calcaneal

pertaining to the heel

Metatarsal

pertaining to the top of foot

Plantar

pertaining to the bottom of foot

Hallux

pertaining to the big toe

x-ray imaging

pass though soft tissue to observe hard tissue such as bone. best for showing bony structures & abnormally dense structures like tumors, areas of pneumonia, & tuberculosis nodules

Computed Tomography (CT) Scan

computerized reconstruction of x-ray images to provide detailed cross-sectional pics of scanned body regions. best for showing bone, soft tissues, & blood vessels

Digital Subtraction Angiography (DSA)

visualizing blood vessels/arteries by x-ray/CT. requires injection of dye to be able to view and identify blockages in arteries.

Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Scan

uses gamma rays. detects where a radioactive form of glucose goes while the brain performs a given task. used for detecting cancer spread/response to cancer treatment & may diagnose Alzheimer's disease

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

powerful magnets image location of H atoms. distinguishes high water content tissues, such as the brain, and dense structures don't show up. used to look at brain & spinal cord

Ultrasonography

high-frequency sound waves are directed at soft tissue and reflected as "echoes" to produce an image on a monitor of an internal body structure. used to monitor fetus during pregancy & view abdominopelvic & heart disorders