Anatomical Positions

Question 1

What is the anatomical position?

Answer 1

The body is facing forward in a standing position with eyes looking straight, arms at the sides with palms facing forwards, feet parallel pointing forwards, and legs fully extended.

Question 2

What does ‘anterior’ mean?

Answer 2

Towards the front.

Question 3

What does ‘posterior’ mean?

Answer 3

Towards the back.

Question 4

What does ‘superior’ mean?

Answer 4

Towards the head.

Question 5

What does ‘inferior’ mean?

Answer 5

Towards the feet.

Question 6

What does ‘medial’ mean?

Answer 6

Towards the median plane (near the middle of the body).

Question 7

What does ‘lateral’ mean?

Answer 7

Away from the median plane (away from the middle of the body).

Question 8

What does ‘proximal’ mean?

Answer 8

Towards the axial skeleton.

Question 9

What does ‘distal’ mean?

Answer 9

Away from the axial skeleton.

Question 10

What does ‘superficial’ mean?

Answer 10

Towards the external body surface.

Question 11

What does ‘deep’ mean?

Answer 11

Away from the body surface towards the inner body.

Question 12

What is the transverse (axial) plane?

Answer 12

The horizontal plane of the body, perpendicular to both frontal and median planes.

Question 13

What is the coronal (frontal) plane?

Answer 13

A vertical plane at right angles to the median plane.

Question 14

What is the sagittal plane?

Answer 14

A plane that divides the body into left and right.

Question 15

What is the median (mid-sagittal) plane?

Answer 15

The plane that divides the body into equal right and left halves.

Question 16

What is the parasagittal plane?

Answer 16

Any plane parallel to the median plane, dividing the body into unequal right and left parts.

Question 17

What are the cranial cavity and its contents?

Answer 17

Bound by the skull; contains the brain and meninges.

Question 18

What does the vertebral canal (spinal cavity) contain?

Answer 18

Contains the spinal cord and nerve roots.

Question 19

What are the components of the ventral cavity?

Answer 19

Thoracic, abdominal, and pelvic cavities.

Question 20

What are the nine regions of the abdomen divided by?

Answer 20

Two mid-clavicular lines and two horizontal lines (transpyloric and transtubercular lines).

Question 21

What does the transpyloric line pass through?

Answer 21

The pylorus (where the oesophagus joins the stomach).

Question 22

What does the transtubercular line pass through?

Answer 22

The tuberosities of the iliac crests at L5.

Question 23

What are the four abdominal quadrants?

Answer 23

• Right upper quadrant
• Left upper quadrant
• Right lower quadrant
• Left lower quadrant

Question 24

What is the supine position?

Answer 24

Lying on the back.

Question 25

What is the prone position?

Answer 25

Lying on the stomach.

Question 26

What does 'adducted' mean in terms of arm positioning?

Answer 26

Arms positioned by the sides.

Question 27

What does 'abducted' mean in terms of arm positioning?

Answer 27

Arms positioned away from the sides, often above the head.

Question 28

What is the importance of accurate patient positioning in radiotherapy?

Answer 28

To recreate the position correctly for each treatment and deliver radiation to the correct place.

Question 29

Fill in the blank: The _______ plane divides the body into equal right and left halves.

Answer 29

Median (mid-sagittal)

Question 30

True or False: The dorsal cavity contains the brain.

Answer 30

True

Question 31

What are the two types of body movements described?

Answer 31

* Away from the central line of the body * Towards the central line of the body

Question 32

What is the correct orientation for viewing transverse/axial images?

Answer 32

Looking from the patient's feet.

Question 33

What are the clues for orientating a sagittal image?

Answer 33

* Anterior * Posterior * Right * Left * Superior (head) * Inferior (feet)

Question 34

What does 'inferior' describe in terms of patient alignment?

Answer 34

Position below another part of the body.

Question 35

What is the significance of tattoos in radiotherapy?

Answer 35

They are used as reference marks for accurate treatment positioning.