Anatomical position
the body is erect, feet slightly apart, and palms facing forward with thumbs pointing away from the body.
Superior (cranial)
Towards the head end or upper part of a structure or the body; above
Example of superior direction
The head is superior to the abdomen
Inferior (caudal)
Away from the head end or toward the lower part of a structure or the body; below
Example of Inferior direction
The navel is inferior to the chin
Anterior (ventral)
Toward or at the front of the body; in front of →
Example of anterior direction
The breastbone is anterior to the spine
Posterior (dorsal)
Toward or at the back of the body; behind ←
Example of posterior direction
The heart is posterior to the breastbone
Medial
Toward or at the midline of the body; on the inner side of →I←
Example of medial direction
The heart is medial to the arm
Lateral
Away from the midline of the body; on the outer side of ←I→
Example of lateral direction
The arms are lateral to the chest
Intermediate
Between a more medial and a more lateral structure
Example of intermediate direction
The collarbone is intermediate between the breastbone and shoulder
Proximal
Closer to the origin of the body part or the point of attachment of a limb to the body trunk
Example of proximal direction
The elbow is proximal to the wrist
Distal
Farther from the origin of a body part or the point of attachment of a limb to the body trunk
Example of distal direction
The knee is distal to the thigh
Superficial (external)
Toward or at the body surface
Example of superficial direction
The skin superficial to the skeletal muscles
Deep (internal)
Away from the body surface; more internal
Example of deep direction
The lungs are deep to the skin
The axial part contains:
head, neck, and trunk (torso)
The appendicular part contains:
appendages or limbs (upper and lower)
Sagittal plane
vertical; divides the body into left and right parts
Median (midsagittal) plane
a sagittal plane that lies exactly in the midline
Parasagittal plane
sagittal plane offset from the midline
Frontal plane
vertical; divide the body into anterior and posterior parts, aka coronal plane
Transverse plane
horizontal; divides the body from right to left, superior and inferior parts, aka a cross-section
Oblique sections
cuts made diagonally between the horizontal and the vertical planes
Dorsal body cavity
protects the fraglie nervous system organs, contains cranial and vertebral cavity
Cranial cavity
in the skull, encases the brain
Vertebral (spinal) cavity
runs within the bony vertebral column, encloses the spinal cord
Ventral body cavity
The more anterior and larger closed body cavity, houses the viscera
Thoracic cavity
surrounded by the ribs and muscles of the chest
Viscera
an organ in a body cavity
Pleural cavity
each enveloped a lung, and the medial, mediastinum
Pericardial cavity
found in the mediastinum, encloses the heart and surrounds the remaining thoracic organs
Abdominopelvic cavity
Inferior to the thoracic cavity, 2 parts
Abdominal cavity contains:
the stomach, intestines, spleen, liver, and other organs (superior)
Pelvic cavity contains:
urinary bladder, some reproductive organs, and the rectum (inferior)
Abdominopelvic Quadrants
Large cavity with several organs, therefore divided into smaller areas for study: Left and right upper quadrant, Left and right lower quadrant (view of patient)
The umbilical region
The centermost region deep to and surrounding the umbilicus (navel)
The epigastric region
located superior to the umbilical region
The pubic (hypogastric) region
located inferior to the umbilical region
The right and left inguinal (iliac) regions
located lateral to the hypogastric region (iliac = superior part of hipbone)
The right and left lateral (lumbar) regions
lie lateral to the umbilical region
The right and left hypochondriac regions
lie lateral to the epigastric region and deep to the ribs (chondro=cartilage)
