Positional, Directional, Planes

Question 1

anterior (ventral)

Answer 1

front side of the body

Question 2

posterior (dorsal)

Answer 2

back surface of the body

Question 3

deep

Answer 3

away from the surface

Question 4

superficial

Answer 4

on the surface

Question 5

proximal

Answer 5

near the point of attachment to the trunk or near the beginning of a structure

Question 6

distal

Answer 6

far from the point of attachment to the trunk or far from the beginning of a structure

Question 7

inferior

Answer 7

below another structure; pertaining to the lower portion of the body

Question 8

superior (cephalic)

Answer 8

above another structure *cephalic also means above another structure

Question 9

medial

Answer 9

pertaining to the middle, or nearer the medial plane of the body

Question 10

lateral

Answer 10

pertaining to the side

Question 11

supine

Answer 11

lying on the back (face up, palms up)

Question 12

prone

Answer 12

lying on the belly (face down, palms down)

Question 13

frontal (coronal) plane

Answer 13

vertical plane dividing the body or structure into anterior and posterior portions

Question 14

sagittal (lateral) plane

Answer 14

lengthwise, vertical plane dividing the body or structure into right and left sides. *midsagittal plane divides the body into right and left halves

Question 15

transverse (axial) plane

Answer 15

horizontal (cross-sectional) plane dividing the body into upper and lower portions