Basic Anatomical Position

Question 1

What is anatomical position?

Answer 1

a standard position that ensures directional terms are clear so that any body part can be clearly described relative to any other part.
(when describing any region of the body, it is assumed that the body is in anatomical position)

Question 2

SUPERIOR
(cephalic or cranial)

Answer 2

Toward the head, or the upper part of a structure

Ex: the heart is superior to the liver

Question 3

INFERIOR
(caudal)

Answer 3

Away from the head, or the lower part of a structure

Ex: The stomach is inferior to the lungs

Question 4

ANTERIOR (ventral)

Answer 4

Nearer to or at the front of the body

Ex: The sternum (breastbone) is anterior to the heart

Question 5

POSTERIOR (dorsal)

Answer 5

Nerer to or at the back of the body

Ex: The esophagus is posterior to the trachea (windpipe)

Question 6

MEDIAL

Answer 6

Nearer to the midline

Ex: The ulna is medial to the radius

Question 7

LATERAL

Answer 7

Farther from the midline

Ex: The lungs are lateral to the heart

Question 8

INTERMEDIATE

Answer 8

Between two structures

Ex: The transverse colon is intermediate between the ascending and descending colons

Question 9

IPSILATERAL

Answer 9

on the same side of the body as another structure

Ex: The gallbladder and ascending colon are ipsilateral

Question 10

Contralateral

Answer 10

On the opposite side of the body from another structure

Ex: The ascending and descending colons are contralateral to each other

Question 11

PROXIMAL

Answer 11

nearer to the attachment of a limb to a trunk; nearer to the origination of a structure

Ex. The humerus is proximal to the radius

Question 12

DISTAL

Answer 12

Farther from the attachment of a limb to the trunk; farther from the origination of a structure

Question 13

SUPERFICIAL (external)

Answer 13

Toward or on the surface of the body

Ex: The ribs are superficial to the lungs