Anatomical Position & Directional Terms Flashcards
Superior(cranial)
toward the head end or upper part of a structure or the body; above
ex: the head is superior to the abdomen
Inferior(caudal)
away from the head end or tpward the lower part of a structure or the body; below
ex: the navel is inferior to the chin
Anterior(ventral)
Toward ot at the front of the body; in front of
ex: the breastbone is anterior to the spine
Posterior(dorsal)
Toward or at the back of the body; behind
ex: the heart is posterior to the breastbone
Proximal
Closer to the origin of the body part or the point of attachment of a limb to the body trunk
ex: the elbow is proximal to the wrist
Distal
Farther from the origin of a body part or the point of the attachment of a limb to the body trunk
ex: the knee is distal to the thigh
Superficial(external)
Toward or at the body surface
ex: the skin is superficial to the skeletal muscles
Deep(internal)
away from the body surface; more internal
ex: the lungs are deep to the skin
Two major divisions of the body
Axial
Regional terms(designate specific areas within body divisions)
head, neck, and trunk
Two major divisions of the body
Appendicular
Regional Terms(designate specific areas within body divisions)
limbs(legs and arms)
What are body planes?
surfaces along which body or strcutures may be cut for anatomical study
What are the 3 most common planes?
Sagittal plane, Frontal(coronal) plane, and Transverse (horizontal) plane
What are sections?
Cuts or sections made along a body plane.
A section is named for the plane along which it is cut. Thus, a cut along a sagittal plane produces a sagittal section.
What is a sagittal plane?
A sagittal plane divides the body vertically into right and left parts
What is it called when a sagittal plane lies exactly in the midline?
midsagittal(median) plane
What is it called when a sagittal plane was cut off-centered/not on the midline?
Parasagittal plane
What are frontal (coronal) planes?
- lie vertically,
- divide the body into anterior and posterior parts
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What are transverse(cross section) planes?
- runs horizontally from left to right’
- divides the body into superior and inferior parts
What are oblique sections?
seldom used***
Cuts made diagonally between the horizontal and the vertical planes