Body Orientation and Direction

Question 1

Superior/Cephalad

Answer 1

Referring to the location above a point (e.g. the nose is superior to the mouth)

Question 2

Inferior/Caudal

Answer 2

Referring to the location below a point (e.g. the mouth is inferior to the nose)

Question 3

Anterior/Frontal/Ventral

Answer 3

Referring to the front of the body (e.g. the face is on the anterior aspect of the body)

Question 4

Posterior/Dorsal

Answer 4

Referring to the back of the body (e.g. the shoulder blades are on the posterior aspect of the body)

Question 5

Medial

Answer 5

Referring to the the location near the midline of the body (e.g. the nose is medial to the ears)

Question 6

Lateral

Answer 6

Referring to the location away from the midline of the body (e.g. the ears are lateral to the nose)

Question 7

Proximal

Answer 7

Referring to the location of a point closer to the trunk of the body relative to another point (e.g. the elbow is proximal relative to the fingers)

Question 8

Distal

Answer 8

Referring to the location of a point further away from the trunk of the body relative to another point (e.g. the fingers are distal relative to the elbow)

Question 9

Superficial

Answer 9

Referring to the location of a point closer to the body surface (e.g. the nail of the finger is superficial to the bone of the finger)

Question 10

Deep

Answer 10

Referring to the location of a point further away from the body surface (e.g. the bones of the finger is deep to the nail of the finger)

Question 11

Sagittal Plane

Answer 11

Vertical plane which divides the body into left and right planes

Question 12

Transverse Plane

Answer 12

Horizontal plane which divides the body into superior and inferior parts

Question 13

Frontal/Coronal

Answer 13

Vertical plane which divides the body into anterior and posterior parts

Question 14

Median/Midsagittal

Answer 14

Vertical plane which runs along the exact middle of the body, it divides body into right and left parts

Question 15

Parasagittal

Answer 15

Vertical plane which does not run along the exact middle of the body, it also divides the body into right and left parts