General Anatomy Terminology

Question 1

What is the Sagittal (medial) plane

Answer 1

vertical plane that divides the body into right and left portions

Question 2

What is the median plane?

Answer 2

the sagittal plane that divides the body into equal right and left halves at the precise midline

Question 3

What is the Coronal Plane?

Answer 3

a vertical plane that divides the body into anterior and posterior sections

Question 4

What is the Axial (transverse) plane?

Answer 4

The transverse plane is an anatomical plane that divides the body into superior and inferior sections.

Question 5

What does the term “anterior” mean?

Answer 5

It means near the front of the body

Question 7

What does the term “posterior” mean?

Answer 7

It means near the back of the body

Question 8

What does the term “middle” mean?

Answer 8

It means near the middle/midline of the body

Question 9

What does the term “superior” mean?

Answer 9

It means near the top of the head

Question 10

What other names does the term “superior” have?

Answer 10

The term “superior” also can be called “rostral” or “cranial”

Question 11

What does the term “inferior” mean?

Answer 11

It means near the soles of the feet

Question 12

What other names does the term “inferior” have?

Answer 12

The term “inferior” can also be called “caudal”

Question 13

What does the term “medial” mean?

Answer 13

it means something that is positioned towards the midline/median plane

Question 14

What does the term “Lateral” mean?

Answer 14

It means something that is positioned further from the midline

Question 15

What does the term “proximal” mean?

Answer 15

It means near the the attachment of the limb to the body

Question 16

What does the term “Distal” mean?

Answer 16

It means furthest away from the body.

Question 17

What are the terms “proximal” and “distal” also used to describe?

Answer 17

These two terms are used to describe the ends of the limbs and also the beginning and end of arteries and vessels. (origin and end)

Question 18

What does the term “superficial” mean?

Answer 18

It means near the surface of the body

Question 19

What does the term “deep” mean?

Answer 19

It means further from the surface of the body

Question 20

What does the term “external” mean?

Answer 20

it means further from the centre of the body or organ

Question 21

What does the term “internal” mean?

Answer 21

It means nearer to the center of the body

Question 22

What does the term “Dorsal” mean?

Answer 22

On a human body, dorsal (i.e., posterior) refers to the back portion of the limb

Question 23

What is the opposite of the term: “Dorsal”

Answer 23

The opposite term is “Ventral”

Question 24

What are the dorsal surfaces?

Answer 24

Posterior Surface of wrist
Posterior Surface of hand
Posterior Surface of tongue
Superior surface of foot

Question 25

What are the opposite of dorsal surfaces:

Answer 25

Volar = anterior surface of wrist Palmar = anterior surface of hand Ventral = anterior surface of tongue Plantar = inferior surface of foot

Question 25

What does "major" and "minor" mean?

Answer 25

Relatively larger and smaller structures with the same names eg. Right pectoralis major left pectoralis minor

Question 26

What does the term unilateral mean?

Answer 26

Structure is normally found only on one side of the body (e.g. the appendix on the right side)

Question 27

what does the term "Bilateral" mean?

Answer 27

Normally paired structures, a right and a left structure (e.g. the right and left kidneys)

Question 28

What does the term "midline" mean?

Answer 28

A single structure located at (or near) the midline/median plane (e.g. the umbilicus)

Question 29

Ipsilateral what does the term "ipsilateral" mean?

Answer 29

it is when the structure that lies on the same side of the body as the other structure or location it is being compared to.

Question 30

What does the term "contralateral" mean?

Answer 30

It is when the structure lies on the opposite side of the body as the other structure or location it is being compared to.

Question 31

What are some combined anatomical terms?

Answer 31

Superolateral; superomedial Inferolateral; inferomedial; Anteroinferior; anterosuperior Anterolateral; posterolateral

Question 32

What does the term "flexion" mean?

Answer 32

It is a decrease in the angle between the bones at a joint.

Question 33

What does the term "extension" mean?

Answer 33

It is an increase in the angle of the joint.

Question 34

What movements are flexions?

Answer 34

All anterior movements at joints superior to the knee joint are flexions (neck, back, shoulder, elbow, wrist, fingers, hip.)

Question 35

What movements are extensions?

Answer 35

From the knee joint to the tips of the toes, all anterior movements are extensions (knees, ankles, toes)

Question 36

What does the term "abduction" mean?

Answer 36

It is movement away from the median plane

Question 37

What does the term "adduction" mean?

Answer 37

It is movement towards the median plane.

Question 38

What does the term "internal/medial rotation" mean?

Answer 38

It is when the anterior surface of limb rotates to the median plane.

Question 39

What does the term "external/lateral rotation" mean?

Answer 39

It is when the anterior surface of the limb rotates away from the median plane.

Question 40

What does the term "circumduction" mean?

Answer 40

It is a circular motion at a joint (combination of movements that result in rotation).

Question 41

What does the term "eversion" mean?

Answer 41

it is when the sole of the foot rotates away from the median plane such that the soles face laterally

Question 42

What does the term "inversion" mean?

Answer 42

It is when the sole of the foot rotates to the median plane

Question 43

What does the term "pronation" mean?

Answer 43

It is when the anterior surface of the forearm rotates such that the palm of the hand faces posteriorly.

Question 44

What does the term "supination" mean?

Answer 44

It is when the forearm rotates from the pronated position back into the anatomical position.

Question 45

What are the movement terms applied to the hands?

Answer 45

Extension of wrist / flexion of wrist Flexion of digits / extension of digits Opposition of digits/ Reposition of digits Pronation of palm/ supination of palm Abduction of digits/ adduction of digits

Question 46

What are some movement terms specific to the thumb?

Answer 46

Abduction = taking the thumb anteriorly away from the palm Extension = taking the thumb laterally away from, and in the coronal plane of the palm Opposition of the thumb with the digits Adduction = adding the thumb posteriorly back to the palm after abduction Flexion = folding the thumb across and into the coronal plane of the palm Reposition of the thumb after opposition with the digits

Question 47

What are some other movement terms?

Answer 47

Lateral Flexion Rotation Elevation (superior movement) and depression (Inferior movement) Protraction (Anterior movement) & retraction (Posterior movement) of the jaw or shoulder.

Question 48

What does the term "occlusion" mean?

Answer 48

Occlusion refers to the bite of the mouth

Question 49

What do the terms "upper" and "lower" mean?

Answer 49

"Upper" refers to the maxillary arch while "lower" refers to the mandibular arch.

Question 50

How many dental quadrants are there?

Answer 50

There are four dental quadrants: Upper right, upper left lower right, lower left

Question 51

How many teeth are in each quadrant?

Answer 51

Each teeth, starting from midline and extending to end of quadrant, has a number from 1-8 8 is the wisdom teeth

Question 52

How many surfaces does each tooth have?

Answer 52

Each tooth has 5 surfaces, labial and buccal refer to the surface the tooth is in contact with. The incisors (the front three teeth in each quadrant) have these 5 surfaces: Labial = lip (3-3) Palatal = Palate (upper teeth) Lingual = tongue (lower teeth) mesial = nearer to midline (Closer to the front of mouth) (all teeth) Distal = further from midline (Closer to back of mouth) (All teeth) The molars have these five surfaces: Buccal = cheek (4-8) Palatal = Palate (upper teeth) Lingual = tongue (lower teeth) mesial = nearer to midline (Closer to the front of mouth) (all teeth) Distal = further from midline (Closer to back of mouth) (All teeth)

Question 53

What do the terms incisal and occlusal mean?

Answer 53

Incisal refers to the cutting edge. Occlusal refers to the biting edge.