Anatomical Communication Flashcards
What are the regions of the body?
Head, neck, thorax, abdomen, upper limb, lower limb, pelvis & perineum, back
What is the anatomical name for the armpit?
Axilla
What is the anatomical name for the area which joins the lower limb to the trunk?
Inguinal region
Which anatomical regions make up the trunk?
Abdomen, thorax, back, pelvis & perineum
What is the anatomical position?
Standing
Facing anteriorly
Face and eyes looking anteriorly
Upper limbs by the sides
Palms of hands facing anteriorly
Feet together
Toes pointing anteriorly
Penis erect
Why is the anatomical position important?
Standardises the position you talk about structures in
What are the three anatomical planes (disregarding oblique sections?)
Sagittal, coronal, axial (transverse)
What does the sagittal plane split the body into?
Left and right
What does the coronal plane split the body into?
Anterior and posterior
What does the axial (transverse) plane split the body into?
Superior and inferior
What is an oblique section?
A section taken at an angle - neither a sagittal, coronal, nor axial (transverse) section
Why are the three plane types important?
Imaging types are divided into these planes
Where can the median sagittal plane be found?
Directly down the midline of the body
Is anatomical ‘left’ and ‘right’ from the observer’s or patient’s perspective?
Patient’s
What does ‘anterior’ mean?
Towards the front of the body
What does ‘posterior’ mean?
Towards the back of the body
What is something referred to if it is in between anterior and posterior?
‘In the middle’
What does ‘superior’ mean?
Towards the top of the body
What does ‘inferior’ mean?
Towards the bottom of the body
What are the alternative terms for superior and inferior and what do they mean?
Cranial/rostral - superior, caudal - inferior
When are cranial/rostral/caudal used as opposed to sueprior/inferior?
Neurology and embryology
What does ‘medial’ mean?
Towards the midline/median plane of the body
What does ‘lateral’ mean?
Away from the midline/median plane of the body
What does ‘proximal’ mean?
Towards the attachment of the limb to the trunk OR closer to where the structure originates (if not used for limbs)
What does ‘distal’ mean?
Further from the attachment of the limb to the trunk OR closer to where the structure terminates (if not used for limbs)
What does ‘superficial’ mean?
Closer to the body surface
What does ‘deep’ mean?
Further away from the body surface
What does ‘internal’ mean?
Nearer to the centre of the body
What does ‘external’ mean?
Further from the centre of the body
What does ‘major’ mean?
A relatively larger structure with the same name as another, smaller, structure
What does ‘minor’ mean?
A relatively smaller structure with the same name as another, larger, structure
What does ‘dorsal’ mean?
The posterior surface of the wrist and hand
The superior surface of the tongue and foot
What are the four opposites to ‘dorsal’ and what do they refer to?
Volar: Anterior surface of wrist
Palmar: Anterior surface of hand
Ventral: Inferior surface of tongue
Plantar: Inferior surface of foot
What does ‘unilateral’ mean?
Only found on one side of the body (eg. gallbladder)
What does ‘bilateral’ mean?
Found on both sides of the body (eg. lungs)
What does ‘midline’ mean?
Found on/near the midline/median plane (eg. brain)
What does ‘ipsilateral’ mean?
On the same side
What does ‘contralateral’ mean?
On the opposite side
What does ‘anterolateral’ mean?
Forwards and outwards
What does ‘inferomedial’ mean?
Downwards and inwards
What does ‘anterosuperior’ mean?
Forwards and upwards
What does ‘superolateral’ mean?
Upwards and outwards
What does ‘flexion’ mean?
Decreasing the angle at a joint
What does ‘extension’ mean?
Increasing the angle at a joint
Are all anterior movements superior to the knee joint flexions or extensions?
(Neck, back, shoulder, elbow, wrist, finger, hip)
Flexions
Are all anterior movements inferior to the knee joint flexions or extensions?
(Knee, ankle, toes)
Extensions
What does ‘abduction’ mean?
Movement away from the median plane
What does ‘adduction’ mean?
Movement towards the median plane
What does ‘internal/medial rotation’ mean?
Rotating the anterior surface of a limb towards the median plane
What does ‘external/lateral rotation’ mean?
Rotating the anterior surface of a limb away from the median plane
What is ‘circumduction’?
Circular motion at a joint
What is ‘inversion’?
Sole of the foot rotates towards the median plane so the sole faces medially
What is ‘eversion’?
Sole of the foot rotates away from the median plane so the sole faces laterally
What is ‘dorsiflexion’?
Upward flexion of the foot
What is ‘plantarflexion’?
Dowanward flexion of the foot
What is ‘pronation’?
Anterior surface of the forearm rotates such that the palm faces posteriorly
What is ‘supination’?
Anterior surface of the forearm rotates such that the palm rotates back into the anatomical position
