Anatomical Position & Directional Terms

Anatomic Position Body erect Arms to side Palms forward Head & neck

forward

Directional Terms #1 Anterior/Ventral Posterior/Dorsal Medial/Lateral Internal/External Proximal/Distal Superior/Inferior Cranial/Caudal

Directional Terms Superior and inferiorSuperior and inferior – toward and

away from the head, respectively Anterior and posteriorAnterior and posterior – toward

the front and back of the body Medial, lateral, and intermediateMedial, lateral, and intermediate

– toward the midline, away from the midline, and between a more medial and lateral structure

Directional Terms Proximal and distalProximal and distal – closer to and

farther from the origin of the body

Superficial and deepSuperficial and deep – toward and away from the body surface

Cranial and caudal – toward the head and toward the tail

Directional Terms Anterior view

Directional Terms Posterior View

Directional Terms Side view or

Lateral view

Directional Terms #2 Flexion/Extension Afferent/Efferent Adduction/Abduction Eversion/Inversion Pronation/Supination Deep/Superficial Plantar/Palmar

Directional Terms

Body Planes SagittalSagittal – divides the body into right

and left parts Midsagittal or medialMidsagittal or medial – sagittal

plane that lies on the midline Frontal or coronalFrontal or coronal – divides the

body into anterior and posterior parts Transverse or horizontalTransverse or horizontal (cross

section) – divides the body into superior and inferior parts

Oblique sectionOblique section – cuts made diagonally

Body Planes Figure 1.8

Body Cavities

Dorsal cavityDorsal cavity protects the nervous system, and is divided into two subdivisions Cranial cavity is within the skull and

encases the brain Vertebral cavity runs within the vertebral

column and encases the spinal cord Ventral cavityVentral cavity houses the internal organs

(viscera), and is divided into two subdivisions: - Thoracic and Abdominopelvic cavities

Body Cavities

Figure 1.9a

Body CavitiesFigure 1.9b

Body Cavities Thoracic cavityThoracic cavity is subdivided into pleural

cavities, the mediastinum, and the pericardial cavity Pleural cavities – each houses a lung Mediastinum – contains the pericardial

cavity, and surrounds the remaining thoracic organs

Pericardial cavity – encloses the heart

Body Cavities The abdominopelvic cavity is The abdominopelvic cavity is

separated from the superior thoracic separated from the superior thoracic cavity by the dome-shaped diaphragmcavity by the dome-shaped diaphragm

It is composed of two subdivisions Abdominal cavity – contains the

stomach, intestines, spleen, liver, and other organs

Pelvic cavity – lies within the pelvis and contains the bladder, reproductive organs, and rectum

Body Regions Head Neck Thorax Abdominal Posterior Trunk Extremities

Other Body Cavities Oral and digestiveOral and digestive – mouth and

cavities of the digestive organs NasalNasal –located within and posterior

to the nose OrbitalOrbital – house the eyes Middle earMiddle ear – contain bones (ossicles)

that transmit sound vibrations SynovialSynovial – joint cavities

Abdominopelvic Regions

Umbilical Epigastric Hypogastric Right and left

iliac or inguinal Right and left

lumbar Right and left

hypochondriacFigure 1.11a

Organs of the Abdominopelvic Regions

Figure 1.11b

Abdominopelvic Quadrants

Right upper (RUQ)

Left upper (LUQ)

Right lower (RLQ)

Left lower (LLQ) Figure 1.12

Head Regions #1 Parietal Frontal Occipital Temporal Auricular Buccal Orbital

Head Regions #2 Mastoid Nasal Mental Submental Maxillary Mandibular Zygomatic

Neck Regions

LarynxTracheaCervical

Thorax

AxillaryClavicularSternalMammary

CostalScapularPectoralDeltoid

Posterior Trunk Regions Nuchal Cervical Thoracic Lumbar Sacral Coccyx Gluteal

Extremities #1 Brachial Antecubital Olecranon Carpal Phalanges Manual Pollex

Extremities #2FemoralPatellarPoplitealTarsalPedalCalcaneal