Anatomical Positions

Question 1

anterior

Answer 1

closer to the front of the body

Question 2

posterior

Answer 2

closer to the back if the body

Question 3

superior

Answer 3

closer to the top of the head

Question 4

cranial

Answer 4

closer to the top of the head

Question 5

inferior

Answer 5

closer to the soles of the feet

Question 6

caudal

Answer 6

closer to the soles of the feet

Question 7

medial

Answer 7

closer to midline/ median plane of body

Question 8

lateral

Answer 8

further from the midline/ median plane of body

Question 9

proximal

Answer 9

closer to the attachment of limb to the body

Question 10

distal

Answer 10

further from the attachment of limb to the body

Question 11

superficial

Answer 11

closer to the surface of body

Question 12

deep

Answer 12

further from the surface of body

Question 13

external

Answer 13

further from the centre of body or organ

Question 14

internal

Answer 14

closer to the centre of body or organ

Question 15

dorsal

Answer 15

back of structure

Question 16

ventral

Answer 16

front of structure

Question 17

major and minor

Answer 17

relatively larger and smaller structures with the same names

Question 18

unilateral

Answer 18

structure normally found only on one side of body

Question 19

bilateral

Answer 19

normally paired structures (a right and a left)

Question 20

midline

Answer 20

single structure located at or near the median plane

Question 21

ipsilateral

Answer 21

structure lies on the same side as what it is being compared to

Question 22

contralateral

Answer 22

structure lies on opposite side of what it is being compared to

Question 23

superolateral

Answer 23

above and further away from the midline

Question 24

superomedial

Answer 24

above and closer to the midline

Question 25

inferolateral

Answer 25

below and further away from the midline

Question 26

anteroinferior

Answer 26

nearer the front of the body and below

Question 27

anterosuperio

Answer 27

nearer the front of the body and above

Question 28

anterolateral

Answer 28

nearer the front of the body and further away from the midline

Question 29

posterolateral

Answer 29

closer to the back of the body and further away from the midline

Question 30

median (sagittal) plane

Answer 30

down the middle, left and right

Question 31

coronal plane

Answer 31

front and back

Question 32

axial (transverse) plane

Answer 32

horizontal cut

Question 33

flexion

Answer 33

decreasing the angle between the bones at the joint

Question 34

extension

Answer 34

increasing the angle between bones at the joint

Question 35

abduction

Answer 35

movement away from the median plane

Question 36

adduction

Answer 36

movement towards the median plane

Question 37

internal/medial rotation

Answer 37

anterior surface of a limb rotates towards the median plane

Question 38

external/lateral

Answer 38

anterior surface of a limb rotates away from the median plane

Question 39

circumduction

Answer 39

circular motion at a joint