Anatomical Terminology

Question 1

What is anatomical position?

Answer 1

• Standing straight, forward facing,
• arms straight + thumbs facing outwards
• feet parallel + toes pointing forward

Question 2

Anatomical planes

Answer 2

• Sagittal splits body left + right
• transverse splits top + bottom
  Coronal plane splits front + back

Question 3

Word for frontal+ back

Answer 3

Frontal = anterior
back= posterior

Question 4

Medial

Answer 4

Towards the midline (nose is medial to the eye)

Question 5

Lateral

Answer 5

Away from midline (ears are lateral to the eyes)

Question 6

Proximal

Answer 6

Closer to the origin

Question 7

Distal

Answer 7

Further from the origin

Question 8

Parietal

Answer 8

Relating to Body cavity wall

Question 9

Visceral

Answer 9

Relating to organs within cavity

Question 10

Axial

Answer 10

Around central axis

Question 11

Intermediate

Answer 11

Between two structures

Question 12

Prone

Answer 12

Lying on stomach

Question 13

Supine / recumbent

Answer 13

Lying on back

Question 14

Trunk

Answer 14

Body minus 4 limbs

Question 15

Median

Answer 15

Middle of body / sagittal

Question 16

Superficial

Answer 16

Nearer to surface of the body

Question 17

Deep / internal

Answer 17

Further away from surface

Question 18

Unilateral

Answer 18

One side

Question 19

Bilateral

Answer 19

Two sides

Question 20

Ipsilateral

Answer 20

Same side of body (left or right)

Question 21

Contralateral

Answer 21

Opposite side of body

Question 22

Body Cavities

Answer 22

Cranial (head)
spinal (spine)
Dorsal (head to butt)
Thoracic (chest)
Abdominal
Pelvic
Abdominal pelvic (1+1)
Ventral (thoracic, abdominal + pelvic)

Question 23

Extension vs flexion

Answer 23

Extension: increase the angle between body parts

Flexion: decrease the angle between body parts

Question 24

Abduction vs Adduction

Answer 24

Abduction: movement away from midline

Adduction: movement towards midline

Question 25

Circumduction

Answer 25

Combination of flexion, extension, abduction + adduction

Question 26

Medial vs lateral rotation

Answer 26

Medial: rotating leg toward midline lateral: rotation away from midline

Question 27

Elevation vs depression

Answer 27

E: movement in superior direction D; movement in inferior direction

Question 28

Protraction vs retraction

Answer 28

Protraction: forward movement of shoulder Retraction: backward movement of shoulder

Question 29

Supinations vs pronation

Answer 29

Supination: radios + ulna are parallel Pronation: radius rotates over ulna

Question 30

Opposition vs reposition

Answer 30

Opposition: movement of thumb + little finger together Reposition: return to anatomical position

Question 31

Dorsiflexion vs plantarflexion

Answer 31

Dorsiflexion: extension of toot so it faces superiorly Plantarflexion: flexion to face inferiorly

Question 32

Inversion vs version

Answer 32

Inversion: sole moves towards median Version: sole away from median