Anatomical Terminology

Question 1

What is ‘anatomy’ ?

Answer 1

The study of body structures and their relationships to one another.

Question 2

Anatomical position

Answer 2

Standing legs together, feet flat on floor, hands at sides, palms facing forward.

Question 3

Lateral

Answer 3

Farther away from the midline of the body

e.g. the ears are lateral, while the eyes are more medial to the body’s midline.

Question 4

Medial

Answer 4

Closest to the midline of the body

e.g. the sternum is medial, while the shoulders are more lateral to the body’s midline.

Question 5

Proximal

Answer 5

Closest to the trunk (centre of the body)

e.g. the knees are more proximal to the ankles, because it is closer to the trunk.

Question 6

Distal

Answer 6

Farther away from the trunk (centre of the body)

e.g. the neck is more distal to the shoulders, because it is further away from the trunk.

Question 7

Dorsal

Answer 7

Posterior (back of the body)

Mnemonic: you close the DOOR, BEHIND someone

Question 8

Ventral

Answer 8

Anterior (front of the body)

Mnemonic: you VENT to someone’s FACE

Question 9

Cavities

Answer 9

• The internal chambers, where the body’s organs are suspended.
• Provide cushioning against shocks.
• Allow body organs to assume various sizes and shapes.

Question 10

Dorsal cavity

Answer 10

• Contains the cranial and spinal cavities, which houses the spinal cord.

Question 11

Ventral cavity

Answer 11

• Contains the thoracic cavity, which houses the lungs, major blood vessels, and other structures.
• Also contains the pericardial cavity, which houses the heart.

Question 12

The two ventral cavities (thoracic and pericardial) are separated by the…

Answer 12

‘Diaphragm’, which is a dome-shaped muscle used in breathing.

Question 13

Abdominal cavity

Answer 13

• Contains the stomach, liver, spleen and intestines.
• Inferior (below) the diaphragm.

Question 14

The lower portion of the abdominal cavity is set apart as the…

Answer 14

‘Pelvic cavity’, which contains the female reproductive organs, urinary bladder and male ducts.

Question 15

Plane of the body + the 3 different types

Answer 15

An imaginary flat surface passing through the body or organ (e.g. the brain).

1) Transverse - TOP (superior) to BOTTOM (inferior) halves of the body
2) Frontal - FRONT (anterior) to BEHIND (posterior) halves of the body
3) Sagittal - LEFT to RIGHT halves of the body.