Anatomical Positions & Body Planes/Directions

Question 1

lying flat on the back with knees bent

-vaginal/rectal exams

Answer 1

Dorsal Recumbent

Question 2

upright sitting position with the exam table raised to a 90 degree angle; best position to help a patient who is having difficulty breathing

(semi-position shown)

Answer 2

Fowler’s

Question 3

lying flat on the table with buttocks at the end of the table and feet resting in stirrups (ex: vaginal/rectal examination)

Answer 3

Lithotomy

Question 4

lying flat on the abdomen with arms above head

exam of spine/back

Answer 4

Prone

Question 5

lying flat on the back with arms down to the side (used for doing an EKG, measuring an infant, any procedure that requires a patient to be lying on their back)

breast/abdominal exams

Answer 5

Supine

Question 6

lying on left side with the left leg slightly flexed and the right leg flexed at a 90 degree angle (exams involving the rectum and administering enemas)

Answer 6

Sim’s (lateral)

Question 7

legs elevated above the head to force circulation to vital organs (effective in raising a patient’s low blood pressure)

Answer 7

Trendelenburg

Question 8

The client lies prone with buttocks elevated and knees drawn to the chest to accommodate rectal procedure or examination.

Answer 8

Knee-Chest Position

Question 9

divides the body into anterior and posterior sections

Answer 9

Coronal/Frontal

Question 10

divides the body into left and right

Answer 10

Sagittal

Question 11

divides the body into top (superior) and bottom (inferior) parts

Answer 11

Transverse

Question 12

at or near the front of the body (front view)

Answer 12

Anterior

Question 13

at or near the back of the body (back view)

Answer 13

Posterior

Question 14

an imaginary vertical line that divides the body equally (right down the middle)

Answer 14

Midline

Question 15

farther from midline (side view)

Answer 15

Lateral

Question 16

nearer to midline (side view)

Answer 16

Medial

Question 17

toward the head/upper part of a structure (bird’s eye view, looking down)

Answer 17

Superior

Question 18

away from the head/lower part of a structure (bottom view, looking up)

Answer 18

Inferior

Question 19

close to to the surface of the body

Answer 19

Superficial

Question 20

away from the surface of the body

Answer 20

Deep

Question 21

nearer to the origination of a structure

Answer 21

Proximal

Question 22

farther from the origination of a structure

Answer 22

Distal

Question 23

refers to two structures with one on each side of the body

Answer 23

Bilateral

Question 24

means the same side of the body

Answer 24

Ipsilateral

Question 25

means the opposite side of the body

Answer 25

Contralateral