Direction Terms and Planes

Question 1

Median plane

Answer 1

Divides the body into equal right and left halves

Question 2

Sagittal plane

Answer 2

Parallel to the median plane, divides into unequal portions.

Question 3

Transverse plane

Answer 3

Right angle to the median plane and divides the body into cranial and caudal parts (cross section for example).

Question 4

Dorsal plane

Answer 4

Right angles to both the median and transverse planes. Divides the body into dorsal and ventral segments.

Question 5

Cranial

Answer 5

direction towards the head. In the eye, it is known as “anterior”

Question 6

Caudal

Answer 6

direction towards the tail. In the eye, it is known as “posterior”.

Question 7

Dorsal

Answer 7

direction toward the back, away from the ground

Question 8

Ventral

Answer 8

direction toward the abdomen

Question 9

Palmar

Answer 9

caudal surface of the forelimb, distal to the carpus

Question 10

Plantar

Answer 10

caudal surface of the hindlimb, distal to the tarsus

Question 11

Rostral

Answer 11

part of the head closer to the nose.

Question 12

Medial

Answer 12

toward the median plane.

Question 13

Lateral

Answer 13

away from the median plane.

Question 14

Superficial

Answer 14

towards the surface

Question 15

Deep

Answer 15

toward the center of the body or body part

Question 16

Proximal

Answer 16

toward the attachment of the appendage to the body.

Question 17

Distal

Answer 17

away from the attachment to the body.

Question 18

Axial

Answer 18

closer to the longitudinal axis

Question 19

Abaxial

Answer 19

further from the longitudinal axis

Question 20

Peripheral

Answer 20

distant from the point of origin; near the surface of the body.
Can be used synonymously with the term superficial

Question 21

External

Answer 21

closer to the outer surface of a structure

Question 22

Internal

Answer 22

closer to the center of a structure