Anatomic Planes

Question 1

Anatomic Position

Answer 1

Standing, head and eyes to front, palms forward.

Question 2

Anterior vs Posterior

Answer 2

Anterior: Front, ventral “soft skin”
- AKA Rostral (structure in the head or brain)

Dorsal: Back, dorsal “thick skin”

Question 3

Superior vs Inferior

Answer 3

Superior: top, cranial

Inferior: bottom, caudal “tail”

Question 4

Distal vs Proximal

Answer 4

Distal: further from the truck or heart

Proximal: Closer to the trunk or heart

Question 5

Lateral Vs Medial

Answer 5

Lateral: Away from the middle or midline.

Medial: towards the middle or midline.

Question 6

Ipsilateral vs contralateral

Unilateral vs bilateral

Answer 6

Ipsilateral: Referring to the same side of the body.

Contralateral: Referring to the opposite side of the body, in the context of the body split at the midline.

Unilateral: a structure only found on one side of the body.

Bilateral: a structure found on both sides of the body.

Question 7

Sagittal plane Vs
Frontal/ coronal plane VS
Transverse plane

Answer 7

Sagittal: Divides body at the midline, create a right and a left half.

Frontal/ coronal: Divides body into anterior and posterior or front and back halves.

Transverse (AKA horizontal; AKA axial or trans-axial plane): divides body into upper and lower halves.

Question 8

Median plane
VS
Sagittal plane
VS
Paramedian Plane

Answer 8

Median plane
- Through body midline

Sagittal plane
- Anywhere parallel to median plane

Paramedian Plane
- Sagittal plane near medial line.