Directional Terminology Flashcards
(23 cards)
Lateral
Away from midline of the body/towards the external surface
Medial
Towards the midline/inside surface
Bilateral
Affecting/evident on both sides
Unilateral
Affecting/evident on one side
Ipsilateral
Affecting/occurring on the same side
Contralateral
Affecting/occurring on the opposite side
Dorsal
Towards the topline (from carpal/tarsal joints downwards are also labelled as dorsal)
Ventral
Towards the underside/belly of a structure
Palmar
The sole of the hoof to the back of the carpus in the forelimb
Planter
The sole of the hoof to the back of the tarsus in the hindlimb
Cranial
Towards the head/front portion of a structure
Caudal
Facing the trail/rear portion of a structure
Rostral
Facing towards the nose/toward the front of the mouth
Proximal
Closer to the centre of the axial skeleton/point of attachment
Distal
Further away from the centre of the axial skeleton/point of attachement
Deep
Closer to the centre/more internal
Superficial
Closer to the surface/more external
Adaxial
Closer to the longitudinal central axis of a limb
Abaxial
Further away from the longitudinal central axis of a limb
Dorsal plane
Parallel to the back or topline
Transverse plane
The cross section of a structure at a right angle to the axis. On the quadruped
the transverse planes across the limbs will appear parallel due to the
difference of position to bipeds. Think about transverse planes as cross
sections
Sagittal plane
Dividing a body part down its axis into right and left sides (sides will not necessarily be mirror images)
Median plane
The sagittal plane that divides the body down its middle into equal left/right halves
