Directional Terminology Flashcards
Anterior
Towards the front
Posterior
Towards the back
Ventral
Belly (regardless of anatomical position or directionality)
Cranial or Cephalic
The head
Superior
Towards the top
Caudal
The tail (coccyx in humans)
Inferior
Towards the bottom of the torso
Medial
Towards the midline
Ventral
Belly
Dorsal
Back
Lateral
away from the midline
Proximal
Toward the attached base
Distal
Away from the attached base
Superficial
At, near, or relatively close to the body surface
Deep
Farther from the body surface
Intermediate
Located between deep and superficial locations in the body
Bilateral
Both sides of the body
Unilateral
Only on one side of the body
Ipsilateral
Same side of the body but NOT on the same structure
Contralateral
Found on the opposite side of the body but NOT on the same structure
Brachium
Upper arm
Antecubital
“Bend of the elbow region” This is immediately inferior to the brachium
Antebrachium
Lower arm; this is immediately inferior to the antecubital region
Carpal
Wrist region; this area is immediately inferior to the antebrachium
Olecranon
Posterior elbow; this is posterior to the antecubital
Pollex
Thumb; the pollex is the most lateral digit of the hand
Femoral
Upper leg
Patella
Anterior knee; this is inferior to the femoral region
Crus
The entire lower leg; this is inferior to the patella
Popliteus
Posterior to the patella; this area is immediately inferior to the femoral region on the posterior side; “back of the knee”
Sura
The posterior crus; this are is immediately inferior to the popliteus region
Tarsus
Ankle region; this area is immediately inferior to the crus
Hallux
Big toe; the hallux is the most medial digit of the foot
Axilla
Armpit; the region between the lateral chest and the brachium
Thoracic
The entire anterior chest
Mamma
The breast area of the thorax
Abdomen
The “gut” area; this area is immediately inferior to the thoracic region
Umbilicus
Referred to as the “belly button”
Pelvis
The hip region
Inguinal
The oblique crease area between the femoral and the abdominal region
Dorsum
The upper back
Lumbar
The lower back
Gluteus
The rump region
Gluteal fold
The transverse crease between the gluteus and the femoral
Gluteal cleft
The vertical crease bewteen the left and right gluteus
Frons
The forehead region
Glabella
The area immediately inferior to the frons; this is the area between the eyebrows
Nasign
The junction of the nose to the skull; this is sort of a depressed area
Nasus
This is the “bridge” of the nose; there are two bones (left and right nasal bones)
Ala of nose
The fleshy portions of the nose that you pinch when you want to close your nostrils
Nasolabial sulcus
The crease that extends from the corner of the lips to the area near the ala of the nose
Philtrum
The depression located in the area that extends from the center, inferior edge of the nose to the center of the upper lip
Columella nasi
The fleshy tissue that is between the two nostrils.
Vermillion border
The very edge of the upper and lower lips
Oris
The entire mouth
Otic
The entire ear
Ocular
The entire eye
Mentis
The chin; the mandible is the bone of the lower jaw but the mentis is the superficial, anterior region of the mandible
Occipital
The posterior region of the skull
Zygomatic
These are the cheekbones
Buccal
The lateral aspects of our face typically called our cheeks
Cervical
The entire neck area
Laryngeal prominence
This is called the adams apple
Anterior Cavity
Includes the thoracic cavity, abdominal cavity, and the pelvic cavity
Posterior Cavity
Includes the spinal cavity and the cranial cavity
Spinal Cavity
contains the spinal cord
Cranial Cavity
Contains the brain
Thoracic Cavity
Consists of pleural cavities, mediastinal cavity, pericardial cavity, abdominal cavity, pelvic cavity
Pleural cavities
Contains the right and left lung
Mediastinal Cavity
The cavity located between the two pleural cavities, contains the thymus gland
Pericardial cavity
Contains the heart
Abdominal Cavity
Contains the stomach, liver, gallbladder, spleen, pancreas, small intestine, large intestine, and appendix
Pelvic Cavity
contains the urinary bladder
Right Upper Quadrant
Liver, gallbladder, and part of the transverse colon
Left Upper Quadrant
Stomach, spleen, and part of the transverse colon
Right Lower Quadrant
Cecum, portion of ascending colon, and appendix
Left Lower Quadrant
Descending colon and sigmoid colon
Epigastric
Epigastric area is the upper abdomen, just below the ribs and above the belly button
Umbilical
Most of the small intestine
Hypogastric
Ileum and urinary bladder
Right Hypochondriac
Right lobe of the liver
Left Hypochondriac
The left hypochondriac region is a part of the abdomen that contains components of the stomach, top of the left lobe of the liver, the left kidney, the spleen and tail of the pancreas, parts of the small intestine and components of the transverse and descending colon
Right Lumbar
Ascending Colon
Left Lumbar
Descending colon
Right inguinal
Cecum
Left inguinal
Sigmoid colon
Frontal Cut
A longitudinal cut that divides the body, organ, or tissue into anterior and posterior portions
Sagittal
A longitudinal cut that divides the body, organ, or tissue into right and left portions
Transverse
A cut that seperates the superior part of the body, organ, or tissue from the inferior part
Oblique
Making a dissectional cut at an angle across a tissue; an oblique cut is at a significant angle whereas a transverse cut is not at an angle
Superficial
on the surface or near the surface
Deep
Deeper into the body; going deeper from the superficial
Intermediate
Tissue located somewhere between two other pieces of tissue; tissue located somewhere between superficial and deep
Flex
Decreases the angle at the joint
Extend
Increases the angle at the joint
Abduct
To take away from the body; move the arm laterally
Adduct
To add back to the body; move the arm medially
Supinate
Flex the lower arm at a 90 degree angle and have the palms face toward the ceiling; you can hold a cup of soup
Pronate
The lower arm is at a 90 degree angle; rotate the lower arm so the palms are facing the floor
