Anatomic Terms Flashcards
Anatomy
study of the body structure
Physiology
study of the body function
Anatomic Position
in this position, the body is standing erect, facing the observer, with arms at the sides and the palms of the hands forward (standard reference)
Plane
a flat surface formed when slicing through a solid object
Sagittal / median plane
slicing the body down the middle to create two side-by-side halves
Frontal / coronal plane
slicing the body into two halves, front and back
Transverse / horizontal plane
slicing the body into two halves near the waist, top and bottom
Midline
an imaginary line drawn down the center of the body, dividing it into right and left halves
Medial
toward the midline of the body
Lateral
to the side, away from the midline of the body
Bilateral
on both sides
Unilateral
limited to one side
Midaxillary line
a line drawn vertically from the middle of the armpit to the ankle
Anterior
the front of the body or body part
Posterior
the back of the body or body part
Ventral
referring to the front of the, synonym for anterior
Dorsal
referring to the back of the body or the back of the hand or foot, synonym for posterior
Superior
toward the head, (e.g.. the chest is superior to the abdomen)
Inferior
away from the head, usually compared with another structure that is closer to the head (e.g.. the lips are inferior to the nose)
Proximal
closer to the torso
Distal
farther away from the torso
Torso
the trunk of the body, or the body without the head and the extremities
Palmar
referring to the palm of the hand
Plantar
referring to the sole of the foot
Midclavicular
the line through the center of each clavicle
Abdominal quadrants
four divisions of the abdomen used to pinpoint the location of a pain or injury
Supine
lying on the back
Prone
lying facedown
Recovery Position
lying of the side, also called lateral recumbent position
Fowler position
a sitting position
Right upper quadrant (RUQ)
right kidney, colon, liver, pancreas, gallbladder
Right lower quadrant (RLQ)
right kidney, colon, small intestines, ureter, appendix, major artery and vein to the right leg
Left upper quadrant (LUQ)
Left kidney, liver, spleen, stomach, colon, pancreas
Left lower quadrant (LLQ)
Left kidney, colon, small intestines, ureter, major artery and vein to the left leg
