anatomical directions and planes Flashcards
why have anatomical directions?
- brain is 3D
- everyone on the same page
- divides structures into parts
- establishes point of relationship of descriptors
starting point for descriptors
- human body assumed to be in standing position
- feet together
- arms at side
- thumbs pointing out
medial
-toward midline
lateral
away from midline
proximal
relatively near trunk/torso
distal
relatively far from trunk/torso
ventral
anterior/front
dorsal
posterior/back
superior
-upper, cephalic (head), postal (beak)
inferior
-lower, caudal (tail)
axis
-imaginary line connecting 2 points
anteriorposterior axis
from head to tail
from anterior most orientation to posterior most orientation when subject is standing in standard position
dorsoventral axis
from spinal column positioning to ventral body/ direction
mediolateral axis
from mid-line extending outward to lateral most surfaces
proximodistal axis
from tip of appendage to/towards/upwards to trunk/torso/core
vertical neuroanatomical planes
imaginary, flat sections of the body
coronal
divides anterior structures of the brain from posterior structures of the brain
sagittal
a GENERAL statement about a plane
- dividing brain structures vertically
- parallel to the median plane
midsagittal
a specfic sagittal plane
- dividing brain structures precisely right and left
- at midline
parasagittal
a specific sagittal plane (vertical)
-parallel to the median plane - not at the midline
horizontal anatomical plane
- transverse, axail, cross plane
- at a right angle to sagittal plane
- divides upper and lower structures
etiology
cause of
site
location of
lesion
damage (cell death, rupture, bleed, etc)
