Anatomical Terms Flashcards
what is the anatomical position?
the frame of reference for describing parts of a body (hands facing up, legs slightly spread, etc)
definition of superior
towards the head/up
definition of inferior
towards the tail/down
definition of posterior
on the back side
definition of anterior
on the front side
definition of medial
toward the midline of the body
definition of lateral
toward the sides of the body
definition of distal
away from the center/core of the body
definition of proximal
closer to the center/core of the body
definition of superficial
towards the surface (ex. skin)
definition of deep
below the surface/towards the center (ex. muscle)
definition of prone
lying face/front down
definition of supine
lying up/back down
what are planes?
slices to view sections of the body on an x,y,z axis
definition of sagital plane
cuts the body into right and left parts
definition of midsagital plane
cuts the body into EQUAL right and left halves
definition of frontal/coronal
cuts body into front and back parts
definition of transverse/horizontal
cuts body into top and bottom parts
the cranial and vertebral cavities are in which overall area?
the dorsal region
the thoracic cavity is in which overall cavity?
the ventral region
which organs does the thoracic cavity contain?
the heart and lungs (in the ribcage)
the abdominal and pelvic cavities are in which overall area?
the abdominopelvic region
where is the abdominal cavity and what does it contain?
above pelvic bowl, contains many GI organs
what does the pelvic cavity contain?
GI and reproductive organs
what is the mediastinum?
the space between the lungs containing the heart and vessels
