Anatomical Definitions Flashcards
Terms relating to anatomical position and anatomical planes.
Superior
toward the head (cranial)
Inferior
toward the bottom (caudal)
Anterior
toward the front (ventral)
Posterior
toward the back (dorsal)
Medial
toward the midline of the body
Lateral
away from the midline of the body
Internal (Deep)
away from the surface of or further into the body
External (Superficial)
toward the surface of the body
Proximal
toward the main mass of the body
Distal
away from the main mass of the body
Visceral
relating to the internal organs
Parietal
relating to the walls of the body
Ipsilateral
on the same side of the body
Contralateral
on opposite sides of the body
Intermediate
between two structures
Prone
on front, face down
Supine
on back, face up
Sagittal Plane
plane dividing the body into left and right
Coronal (Frontal) Plane
plane dividing the body into ventral and dorsal
Transverse (Horizontal) Plane
plane dividing the body into superior and inferior
Parasagittal Plane
plane dividing the body into unequal left and right parts
Oblique Plane
plane dividing the body into random parts, at any angle other than horizontal and vertical angles
