Orientation And Directional Terms

Front 1

Superior (Cranial)

Back 1

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

EX: The head is _____ to the abdomen

Hint 1

Front 2

Inferior (Caudal)

Back 2

Away from the head end or toward the lower part of a structure or the body; below

But Caudad means going towards the tail/rump. Doesn't matter much for humans and won't use caudal in this class.

Ex: The navel is ______ to the chin

Hint 2

Front 3

Anterior (Ventral*)

Back 3

Toward or at the front of the body; in front of

Ex: The breastbone is ____ to the spine

**The terms "ventral" and "anterior" are synonymous in humans, but not in four-legged animals. "Anterior" refers to the leading portion of the body (abdominal surface in humans, head in a cat), but "ventral" specifically refers to the "belly" of the vertebrate animal, so it is the inferior surface of four-legged animals. Likewise, although the dorsal and posterior surfaces are the same in humans, the term "dorsal" specifically refers to an animal's back. Thus, the dorsal surface of four-legged animals is their superior surface.

Hint 3

Front 4

Posterior (Dorsal*)

Back 4

Toward or at the back of the body; behind

Ex: The heart is _____ to the breastbone

**The terms "ventral" and "anterior" are synonymous in humans, but not in four-legged animals. "Anterior" refers to the leading portion of the body (abdominal surface in humans, head in a cat), but "ventral" specifically refers to the "belly" of the vertebrate animal, so it is the inferior surface of four-legged animals. Likewise, although the dorsal and posterior surfaces are the same in humans, the term "dorsal" specifically refers to an animal's back. Thus, the dorsal surface of four-legged animals is their superior surface.

Hint 4

Front 5

Medial

Back 5

Toward or at the midline of the body; on the inner side of

Ex: The heart is ____ to the arm

Hint 5

Front 6

Lateral

Back 6

Away from the midline of the body; on the outer side of

Ex: The arms are ____ to the chest

Hint 6

Front 7

Intermediate

Back 7

Between a more medial and a more lateral structure

Ex: The collarbone is _____ between the breastbone and shoulder.

Hint 7

Front 8

Proximal

Back 8

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

Ex: The elbow is ____ to the wrist.

Hint 8

Front 9

Distal

Back 9

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

Ex: The knee is ______ to the thigh

Hint 9

Front 10

Superficial (external)

Back 10

Toward or at the body surface

Ex: The skin is _____ to the skeletal muscles

Hint 10

Front 11

Deep (internal)

Back 11

Away from the body surface; more internal

Ex: The lungs are _____ to the skin.

Hint 11

Front 12

Abdominal Quadrants

Back 12

Front 13

Abdominal Regions

Back 13

Hint 13

Front 14

Anatomical Orientation

Back 14

-Body erect

-Feet slightly apart

-Palms facing forward

-Thumbs pointing away from body

Hint 14

Front 15

Anterior vs. Posterior

Back 15

Towards the front vs. towards the back

Hint 15

Front 16

Frontal (Coronal) Plane

Back 16

Divides the body into anterior and posterior parts.

Hint 16

Front 17

Planes of the body

Back 17

1. Frontal (Coronal) Plane

2. Midsagittal (Median) Plane

- other sagittal planes are vertical planes that don't necessarily divide equally; parasagittal planes are offset from the midline (para=near)

3. Transverse Plane

Hint 17

Front 18

Distal vs. Proximal

Back 18

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

vs.

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

Hint 18

Front 19

Medial vs. Lateral

Back 19

Towards or at the midline of the body/on the inner side of vs. Away from the midline of the body/on the outer side of

Hint 19

Front 20

Superior (Cephalad) vs. Inferior (Caudad)

Back 20

* Caudad means towards tail/rump

Hint 20

Front 21

Superficial (External) vs. Deep (Internal)

Back 21

Toward/at body surface vs. Away from body surface

Hint 21

Front 22

Transverse (horizontal) Plane

transverse (cross) section

Back 22

runs horizontally from right to left, dividing the body into superior and inferior parts.

sections exist at every possible level from head to foot.

Hint 22

Front 23

Midsagittal (Median) Plane

Back 23

a vertical plane that divids the body into right and left parts equally. lies exactly in the midline.

Hint 23

Front 24

Dorsal Cavity

Back 24

-One of two major closed cavities in the body.

-Protects the fragile nervous system organs and has two subdivisions

(the cranial cavity, in the skull, encases the brain; the vertebral/spinal cavity runs within the bony vertebral column and encloses the delicate spinal cord).

-Spinal cord - continuation of brain

-Cranial and spinal cavities=continuous with one another

-Both brain and spinal cord covered by membranes called mininges

Hint 24

Front 25

Ventral Cavity

Back 25

-One of two of body's major closed cavities.

-Subdivided into thoracic cavity and abdominopelvic cavity

Hint 25

Front 26

Oblique sections

Back 26

cuts made diagonally between the horizontal and vertical planes. these are seldom used.

Hint 26

Front 27

Abdominopelvic Cavity

Back 27

-one of two cavities in the ventral cavity

-cavity containing the liver, digestive organs, and reproductive structures

-can be divided by four planes into nine regions or by two planes into four quadrants

Front 28

Thoracic Cavity

Back 28

-one of two cavities within the ventral cavity

-cavity containing the heart and lungs