Anatomical Terms of Location Flashcards
Lateral
Away from the middle, Toward the side
—Left or Right
Medial
Toward the middle, away from the sides
Proximal
Away from extremity, closer to the origin
Distal
Toward extremity, farther from the origin
Contralateral
Opposite side
Ipsilateral
Same side
Anterior
In front of, front
Posterior
After, behind, following, toward the rear
Superior
Above, over
Inferior
Below, under
Caudal
Toward the tail, Toward the back
Rostral
Front
Frontal Plane or Coronal Plane:
Imagine a vertical plane that runs through the center of your body from side to side.
This plane divides the body into front (anterior) and back (posterior) regions.
Transverse (axial) Plane:
Imagine a horizontal plane that runs through the midsection of your body, parallel to the floor
This plane divides the body into upper (superior) and lower (inferior) regions.
Lateral Plane or Sagittal Plane:
Imagine a vertical plane that runs through your body from front to back or back to front. This plane divides the body into right and left regions.