directional and positional terms Flashcards
Ventral
- refers to the belly or the underside of a body or body part
- includes head, neck, thorax, abdomen, pelvis, and tail
Dorsal
- refers to the back
- includes head, neck, thorax, abdomen, and tail
Cranial
- towards the head or pertaining to the head
Caudal
towards the tail
Anterior
towards the front of the body, referring to the limbs
posterior
towards the back of the body, referring to the limbs
rostral
pertaining to the nose end of the head
midline
aka median or midsagittal
imaginary line that divides the body into EQUAL right and left halves
Medial
pertaining to the MIDDLE or towards the midline
lateral
pertaining to the SIDE or AWAY from the midline
Superior
UPPERMOST; ABOVE
Inferior
LOWERMOST; below
Adjacent
NEXT TO, close to, or adjoining
proximal
closer to the midline of the body, pertaining to another point
near the center of the body relative to another point
Distal
Away from the midline of the body
Away from the center of the body relative to another point
Oblique
at an angle
Superficial/external
near the surface
deep/internal
away from the surface
peripheral
pertaining to, or situated near the periphery
outermost part, or the surface of an organ or body part
Palmar
the bottom of the front foot or hoof (underside)
anything distal to the carpus (in the hind limb only)
Prone
position of the animal lying on their ABDOMEN, face down, legs extended
ventral recumbency/sternal recumbency
Supine
position of the animal laying on its BACK, legs extended
dorsal recumbency
Recumbent
lying down
Median Plane
- aka midsagittal plane or midline
- a plane that divides the body into EQUAL right and left halves
- cuts the body longitudinally
Sagittal plane
plane Parallel to the midline plane and divides the body into UNEQUAL right and left body parts
Frontal Plane
- aka called a dorsal plane
- a plane that divides the body into dorsal and ventral parts
- not necessarily equal
Transverse Plane
- aka a cross-sectional or horizontal plane
- a plane that is perpendicular to the median plane and divides the body into cranial and caudal parts
- not necessarily equal
Longitudinal Plane
- a general term referring to a section cut the length of the body or organ
Abduction
to move AWAY from the midline
Adduction
to move TOWARDS the midline
flexion
to bend a joint or reduce the angle between two bones
hyperflexion
flexed too far
extension
to STRAIGHTEN a joint or increase the angle between two bone
hyperextension
extended too far
supination
the act of rotating the limb or body part so that the ventral surface is turned upwards
pronation
the act of rotating the limb or body part so that the ventral surface is turned downwards
Define:
rotation
circular movement around an axis
Supine
AKA dorsal recumbency
laying on the back (spine on the table)
dorsal recumbency
AKA supine
laying on the back (spine on the table)
Prone
AKA ventral recumbency or sternal recumbency
laying on the stomach
Ventral recumbency
AKA prone or sternal recumbency
laying on the stomach
Sternal recumbency
AKA ventral recumbency or prone
laying on the stomach
Lateral recumbency
laying on the side
can be in either right lateral recumbency (right side on the table) or left lateral recumbency (left side on the table)