Anatomy Terminology

Question 1

What are the features of the standard anatomical position?

Answer 1

• standing erect
• eyes facing forward
• palms facing forward
• head facing forward
• arms by sides
• feet together and toes directed forward

Question 2

What are other anatomical positions?

Answer 2

• Supine position; person lying on back with face and toes upwards. (used in anterior dissections)
• Prone position; person is horizontal facing downwards (used for back dissections)

Question 3

How are anatomical directions described?

Answer 3

According to the patients left and rights

Question 4

Define superior/cranial

Answer 4

towards top of head/towards head

Question 5

Define inferior/caudal

Answer 5

towards soles of feet/towards tailbone

Question 6

Define anterior/ventral

Answer 6

Towards front of body/towards belly

Question 7

Define posterior/dorsal

Answer 7

Towards back of body/towards back

Question 8

Define medial

Answer 8

Closer to the midline of the body

Question 9

Define lateral

Answer 9

Further away from the midline

Question 10

Define proximal

Answer 10

closer to point of attatchment

Question 11

Define distal

Answer 11

further from point of attatchment

Question 12

Define superficial/external

Answer 12

Closer to surface/outer surface

Question 13

Define deep/internal

Answer 13

further from surface/inner surface

Question 14

What is the importance of standard anatomical positions?

Answer 14

• Allows a shared method of communication

- Makes things clearer, so less time lost and is more efficient

Question 15

What types of sections are there?

Answer 15

• Longitudinal sections; tissue cut along long direction of organ
• Tranverse section; tissue cut perpendicular to length of organ
• Oblique section; tissue cut at angle between cross and longitudinal sections

Question 16

What are the anatomical planes?

Answer 16

• Median/midsagittal planes
• Frontal/coronal
• Transverse/horizontal

Question 17

What is the median plane/midsagittal plane?

Answer 17

Imaginary plane going through centre of the body, splitting it into equal left and right halves.

Question 18

What is the parasagittal plane?

Answer 18

Splits into left and right but does not go through the centre.

Question 19

What is the frontal/coronal plane?

Answer 19

Vertical plane which divides body into anterior and posterior positions.

Question 20

What is the transverse/horizontal plane?

Answer 20

Divides body into superior and inferior sections

Question 21

What is flexion?

Answer 21

Bending or decreasing angle between bones and parts of body

Question 22

What is extension?

Answer 22

Movement when angle between bones and parts of body increases.

Question 23

What is abduction?

Answer 23

Moves away from the midline

Question 24

What is adduction?

Answer 24

Moves towards midline

Question 25

What is circumduction?

Answer 25

Flexion, abduction, extension and adduction combined in sequence (basically movement in circle).

Question 26

What are the names for the surfaces of the hands?

Answer 26

Palmar = front
Dorsal = back

Question 27

What are the names for the surfaces of the feet?

Answer 27

Plantar = sole
Dorsal = front

Question 28

What is the names for movements at the ankle?

Answer 28

Extension is dorsiflexion

Flexion is plantarflexion