- Anterior/PosteriorAssuming the person is in the anatomical position
- Front/backIn humans, the most anterior structures are those that are the most forwardThe face, chest, abdomenPosterior structures are those toward the backside of the body
The spine, i - Cephalad (cranial)/Caudal
More absolute - Toward the head/toward the tailIn humans, used interchangeably with superior/inferiorIn quadrupeds, they are synonymous with anterior and posterior, respectively
- Dorsal body cavity Cranial cavity Spinal cavity
- Dorsal: can be subdivided into cranial and vertebral/spinal cavities Cranial - encloses the brainVertebral/spinal - spinal cord is protected by the bon
- Dorsal/ventral More absolute
- Backside/bellysideIn humans, these terms are used interchangeably with posterior/anterior, respectively
In quadrupeds, these terms are used interchageably with inferior and superior, respectively
- Frontal/coronal plane
- Divides the body/organ into anterior or posterior parts
- Medial/lateralAssuming the person is in the anatomical position
- Toward the midlin/away from midline or median planeThe sternum is medial to the ribsThe ear is lateral to the nose
- Proximal/DistalMore absolute
- Nearer the trunk or attached end/Farther from the trunk or point of attachmentThe fingers are distal to the elbowThe knee is proximal to the toes
- Sagittal plane Midsagittal plane Parasaggital plane
- Sagittal plane: a plane that runs longitudinally and divides the body into right and left parts. If it divides the body into equal parts, right down the median plane of the body, it is called a median, or midsagittal
- Serosa (serous membrane)Parietal serosaVisceral serosaPeritoneum
PleuraPericardium
- Serosa - a thin, double-layered membrane that covers the walls of the ventral body cavity and the outer surfaces of the organs it contains Parietal - lines the cavity wallsVisceral - covers the external surface of the organs w
- Superior/InferiorAssuming the person is in the anatomical position
- Above/belowNose is superior to the mouthAbdomen is inferior to chest
- Transverse plane Cross section
- Runs horizontally, dividing the body into superior and inferior partsWhen organs are sectioned along the transverse plane, the sections are commonly called cross sections
- Ventral body cavity Thoracic body cavity Abdominopelvic body cavity Abdominal cavity Pelvic cavity
- Ventra body cavity is subdivided into:Superior thoracic cavity - separated from the rest of the ventral cavity by the diaphragm. Contains heart and lungs.Inferior abdominopelvic cavity:
- Abdominal
- Pertaining to the anterior body trunk region inferior to the ribs
- Abdominopelvic quadrants
- Named according to their relative positionRight upperRight lowerLeft upperLeft lowerThe terms left and right refer to the left and right of the figure, not your own. The left and right of the figur
- Abdominopelvic regions
- UmbillicalEpigastricHypogastric (pubic)
Illiac/inguinal
LumbarHypochondriac - Acromial
- Pertaining to the point of the shoulder
- Anatomical Position
- A universally accepted standard positionHuman body is erectFeet only slightly apartHead and toes pointed forwardArms hanging at the sides with palms facing forward
- Antebrachial
- Pertaining to the forearm
- Antecubital
- Pertaining to the anterior surface of the elbow
- Appendicular
- Relating to limbs and their attachmens to the axis
- Axial
- Relating to head, neck, and trunk; the axis of the body
- Axillary
- Pertaining to the armpit
- Brachial
- Pertaining to the arm
- Buccal
- Pertaining to the cheek
- Calcaneal
- Pertaining to the heel of the foot
- Carpal
- Pertaining to the wrist
- Cephalic
- Pertaining to the head
- Cervical
- Pertaining to the neck region
- Coxal
- Pertaining to the hip
- Crural
- Pertaining to the leg
- Digital
- Pertaining to the fingers or toes
- Dorsum
- Pertaining to the back
- Femoral
- Pertaining to the thigh
- Fibular (peroneal)
- Pertaining to the side of the leg
- Frontal
- Pertaining to the forehead
- Gluteal
- Pertaining to the buttocks or rump
- Hallux
- Pertaining to the great toe
- Inguinal
- Pertaining to the groin
- Lumbar
- Pertaining to the area of the back between the ribs and hips; the loin
- Mammary
- Pertaining to the breast
- Manus
- Pertaining to the hand
- Mental
- Pertaining to the chin
- Middle ear cavities
- Carved into the skullCotain tiny bones that transmit sound vibrations to the organ of hearing in the inner ears
- Nasal
- Pertaining to the nose
- Nasal cavity
- Located within and posterior to the nose
- Occipital
- Pertaining to the posterior aspect of the head or base of the skull
- Olecranal
- Pertaining to the posterior aspect of the elbow
- Oral
- Pertaining to the mouth
- Oral cavity
- Commonly called the mouthContains:
TongueTeethOpen to the anus
- Orbital
- Pertaining to the eye socket (orbit); bony
- Orbital cavities
- (orbits) house the eyes and presetn them in an anterior position
- Otic
- Pertaining to the ear
- Palmar
- Pertaining to the palm of the hand
- Patellar
- Pertaining to the anterior knee (kneecap) region
- Pedal
- Pertaining to the foot
- Pelvic
- Pertaining to the pelvic region
- Perineal
- Pertaining to the region between the anus and external genitalia
- Plantar
- Pertaining to the sole of the foot
- Pollex
- Pertaining to the thumb
- Popliteal
- Pertaining to the back of the knee
- Pubic
- Pertaining to the genital region
- Sacral
- Pertaining to the region between the hips (overlying the sacrum)
- Scapular
- Pertaining to the scapula or shoulder blade area
- Sternal
- Pertaining to the region of the breast bone
- Superficial (external)/deep (internal)
- Toward or at the body surface/away from the body surfaceThe skin is superficial to the skeletal muscles
The lungs are deep to the rib cage
- Sural
- Pertaining to the calf or posterior surface of the leg
- Synovial cavities
- Joint cavities - they are enclosed within fibrous capsules that surround the freely movable joints of the body, such as those between the vertebrae and the knee and hip joints.They secrete a lubricating fluid (just like serous membranes of
- Tarsal
- Pertaining to the ankle
- Thoracic
- Pertaining to the chest
- Umbillical
- Pertaining to the navel
- Vertebral
- Pertaining to the area of the spinal column
