Medical Terminology -- Body Positions, Regions, And Cavities

Front 1

Anatomic Position

Back 1

Standing upright, arms to sides, feet flat on the floor, face, palms, and toes forward.

Front 2

Supine

Back 2

Lying on back, face and palms up.

Front 3

Dorsal Lithotomy Position

Back 3

a.k.a. lithotomy position
Suppine with patient's buttocks at the end of the operating table, hips and knees up and apart and feet strapped in supports.

Front 4

Dorsal Recumbent Position

Back 4

Suppine with knees bent, hips rotated outward, and feet flat

Front 5

Laparotomy Position

Back 5

Supine with only the upper torso exposed

Front 6

Trendelenburg Position

Back 6

Laparotomy position with the patient inclined 45 degrees so that the pelvis is higher than the head.

Front 7

Four Main Body Cavities

Back 7

cranial (upper dorsal)
spinal (lower dorsal)
throacic (upper ventral)
abdominopelvic (lower ventral)

Front 8

Cranial Cavity

Back 8

a.k.a. Upper Dorsal Cavity
Houses the brain (and pituitary gland)

Front 9

Upper Dorsal Cavity

Back 9

a.k.a. Cranial Cavity
Encases the brain

Front 10

Spinal Cavity

Back 10

a.k.a. Lower Dorsal Cavity
Surrounds the spinal cord.

Front 11

Lower Dorsal Cavity

Back 11

a.k.a. Spinal Cavity or Spinal/Vertebral Canal
Surrounds the spinal cord.

Front 12

Thoracic Cavity

Back 12

a.k.a. Upper Ventral Cavity
Houses the heart, esophagus, and organs of the respiratory system -- the lungs, trachea, and bronchi

Front 13

Upper Ventral Cavity

Back 13

a.k.a. Thoracic Cavity
Houses the heart, esophagus, and organs of the respiratory system -- the lungs, trachea, and bronchi

Front 14

Abdominopelvic Cavity

Back 14

a.k.a. Lower Ventral Cavity
Houses the organs of the digestive, reproductive, and excretory systems

Front 15

Lower Ventral Cavity

Back 15

a.k.a. Abdominopelvic Cavity
Houses the organs of the digestive, reproductive, and excretory systems

Front 16

Anterior

Back 16

a.k.a. Ventral
Toward the front of the body

Front 17

Ventral

Back 17

a.k.a. Anterior
Toward the front of the body

Front 18

Posterior

Back 18

a.k.a. Dorsal
Toward the back of the body or "behind"

Front 19

Dorsal

Back 19

a.k.a. Posterior
Toward the back of the body or "behind"

Front 20

Anteroposterior

Back 20

(AP)
View going through the body from anterior to posterior. (AP view is used when describing x-ray reports)

Front 21

Medial

Back 21

Toward the midline of the body

Front 22

Lateral

Back 22

Away from the midline of the body.

Front 23

Ipsilateral

Back 23

On the same side of the body.

Front 24

Contralateral

Back 24

On the opposite side of the body.

Front 25

Proximal

Back 25

Nearest to the trunk or point of origin.

Front 26

Distal

Back 26

Farthest from the center of the body or point of origin.

Front 27

Superior

Back 27

a.k.a. Cephalic
directed toward or situated on or in or near the head.

Front 28

Cranial

Back 28

Pertaining to or toward the skull.

Front 29

Inferior

Back 29

Away from the head or toward the lower part of the body structure; opposite of superior

Front 30

Caudad

Back 30

Situated farther from the head in relation to a specific reference point; opposite of cranidad

Front 31

Cranidad

Back 31

Situated nearer to the head in relation to a specific reference point; opposite of caudad

Front 32

Caudal

Back 32

Pertaining to the tail

Front 33

Superficial

Back 33

a.k.a. External
Pertaining to or nearer to the surface of the body

Front 34

External

Back 34

a.k.a. Superficial
Pertaining to or nearer to the surface of the body

Front 35

Deep

Back 35

a.k.a. Internal
Closer to the center of the body

Front 36

Internal

Back 36

a.k.a. Deep
Closer to the center of the body

Front 37

Palmar

Back 37

On or toward the palm of the hand

Front 38

Plantar

Back 38

On or toward the sole of the foot

Front 39

Dorsum

Back 39

The upper surface of an appendage or body part.
Back, especially the entire dorsal surface of an animal.

Front 40

Cephalad

Back 40

Toward the head or upper part of a structure