Anatomical Location and Position Flashcards
Standard Anatomical position of the body is erect
Head facing forward, arms by the sides with palms to the front. Left and right are from the subject’s point of view, not the examiner’s
Three reference systems
Direction, Planes, Cavities, and Structural unit
Directional and positional terms
Describe the location of organs or body parts in relationship to one another.
Superior
Above, in upward direction, toward the head
Inferior
Below or in a downward direction; move toward the feet or tail
Anterior- ventral
In front of or before, the front side of the body
Posterior- dorsal
Toward the back, back side of the body
Caudal
Pertaining to the tail; inferior in position
Cephalic
Pertaining to the head; superior in position
Medial
Nearest the midline or middle
Lateral
To the side, away from the middle
Proximal
Nearest the point of attachment or near the beginning of a structure
Distal
Away from the point of attachment or far from the beginning of a structure
Planes
Describe the imaginary planes that passes through the body and dividing it into various sections.
Midsagittal planes- median plane
Vertically divides the body as it passes through the midline to form right half and left half
Transverse- horizontal plane
Any plane that divides the body into superior and inferior portions
Coronal- frontal plane
Any plane that divides the body at right angles to the midsagittal plane. They divides the body into anterior (ventral) and posterior (dorsal) portions
Cavity
Is a hollow space containing body organs
Body cavity two groups
Ventral cavity or anterior cavity
Dorsal cavity or posterior cavity
Ventral cavity- anterior cavity
Is the hollow portion of the human torso extending from the neck to the pelvis containing the heart, and the other organs of respiration, digestion, reproduction and elimination.
Ventral cavity subdivision areas
Thoracic, Abdominal and Pelvic
Thoracic cavity
The area of the chest containing the heart and the lungs.
Pericardial cavity within the Thoracic cavity
Is the space containing the heart.
Pleural cavity within the thoracic cavity
Is the space surrounding each lungs
Other organs in the thoracic cavity
Esophagus, trachea, thymus, certain large blood and lymph vessel
Abdominal cavity
The space below the diaphragm, commonly referred to as the belly; contains the stomach, intestines, and other organs of digestion.
Pelvis cavity
The space formed by the bone of the pelvic area, contains the organs of reproduction and elimination.
Dorsal cavity- posterior cavity
Containing the structures of the nervous system.
Dorsal cavity subdivision
Cranial cavity- the space in the skull containing the brain.
Spinal cavity- the space within the bony spinal column that contains the spinal cord and spinal fluid.
Abdominopelvic cavity
Is the combination of the abdominal and pelvic cavities. It is divided in nine regions.
Nine regions of the abdominopelvic cavity
Right hypochondriac-upper right region at the level of the ninth rib cartilage
Left hypochondriac-upper left region at the level of the ninth rib cartilage
Epigastric-region over the stomach
Right lumbar-right middle lateral region
Left lumbar-left middle lateral region
Umbilical-in the center, between the right and left lumbar region; the navel
Right iliac (inguinal)-right lower lateral region
Left iliac (inguinal)-left lower lateral region
Hypogastric-lower middle region below the navel
Abdomen four quadrants
Right Upper Quadrant (RUQ)-contain the right lobe of the liver, gallbladder, part of the pancreas and part of the small and large intestines
Left Upper Quadrant (LUQ)-contain the left lobe of the liver, stomach, spleen, part of the pancreas, and part of the small and large intestines
Right Lower Quadrant (RLQ)-contain part of the small and large intestines, appendix, right ovary, right Fallopian tube, right ureter
Left Lower Quadrant (LLQ)-contain part of the small and large intestines, left ovary, left Fallopian tube, left ureter.
