Directional Terms Flashcards
What are all the paired directional terms (and synonyms)?
- Superior and inferior (above and below).
- Anterior and posterior (ventral and dorsal and front and back).
- Medial and lateral (middle and side).
- Proximal and distal (near and far).
- External and internal
(outside and inside). - Superficial and deep (surface and interior)
- Right and left
- Visceral and parietal
Give an example and a description of superior and inferior (above and below).
These indicate the relative vertical position of structures in the
trunk of the body or the head when the body is erect. For the
limbs, other terms are used. A structure which
is superior to another is above or towards the head end of the
body. For example: the nose is superior to the mouth.
Give an example and a description of Anterior and posterior (ventral and dorsal and front and back).
These indicate the position of structures relative to the front and
back of the body. A structure which is anterior or ventral to another
is in front of the other. That is, it is closer to the belly or front side
of the body. For example: the nose is anterior to the ears. A
structure which is posterior or dorsal to another is behind the
other. That is, closer to the back of the body. For example: the
ears are posterior to the nose. These terms may also be used
instead of front and back. Thus, the front surface of the body is the
anterior or ventral surface and the back surface of the body is the
posterior or dorsal surface.
Give an example and a description of Medial and lateral (middle and side).
The body can be divided into two halves by an imaginary vertical
plane running from the center of the head to midway between the
feet. This plane is called the median line or midsagittal plane. Any
structure lying closer to this plane is described as medial. For
example: the nose is medial to the ears. Any structure lying further
away from this plane than another structure is said to be lateral.
For example: the ears are lateral to the nose. The terms medial
and lateral may also be applied to body surfaces. Thus, the sides
of the body are lateral surfaces, whereas the inside of the leg is
the medial surface of the leg
Give an example and a description of Proximal and Distal (near and far).
These terms are generally applied to the limbs only and describe
the location of a structure relative to the point of attachment of the
limb to the trunk or the origin of the limb). A part of a limb, which is
proximal to another, is closer to the origin of the limb. For
example: the elbow is proximal to the wrist. A part of a limb which
is distal to another is further away from the origin of the limb. For
example: the wrist is distal to the elbow.
Give an example and a description of External and internal (outside and inside).
The term external refers to structures that are on the outer surface
of the body. For example: the skin forms the external covering of
the body. Internal structures are those inside the body. For
example: the kidney is an internal organ of the body
Give an example and a description of Superficial and deep (surface and interior)
When describing organs, their component structures may be
described as superficial or deep. Superficial structures are
relatively close to the organ’s outer surface. For example: the
epidermis of the skin is a superficial structure. Deep structures are
further away from the surface, inside the organ. For example: the
dermis of the skin is a deep structure, adjacent to the epidermis.
Give an example and a description of right and left.
These terms are positional rather than directional but are used all
the time. Right and left sides of the body are always in reference
to anatomical position. This means that in images, models, and
specimens, right and left sides of the object being viewed do not
change. Your right side will be facing the object’s left side and vice
and versa. This is because we assume right and left sides from the
object’s perspective, not yours.
Give an example and a description of Visceral and Parital.
These terms are positional rather than directional. They are used
to describe the layers of a double membrane found in body
cavities, specifically the pericardium, pleura, and peritoneum. The
visceral layer refers to the layer adhering to the organ and the
parietal layer refers to the outer layer. Parietal means wall or
partition.
What are the 6 gross body regions?
- Cephalic reion (head)
- Cervical region (neck)
- Thoracic region (chest)
- Abdominal region (belly)
- Lumbar and sacral regions (
- Upper and lower extremeties (limbs)
What are the external body regions and there underlying structure?
1) Deltoid regions; Underlying strucure: Deltoid muscle.
2) Femoral region; Underlying structure: Femur bone.
3) Occipital region; Occipital bone and occipital lobes of the brain.
4) Patellar region; Underlying structure: Knee cap (patellar bone)
5) Popliteal region; Underlying structure: Small depression on posterior side of kneecap (popliteal fossa). On the lateral side of this fossa is the hamstring tendon, hence the name hamstring.
What are the anatomical planes?
A. Longitudinal Planes: These are any planes that are parallel to the long axis. In the
body, a longitudinal plane can be:
1. Sagittal: the body is divided into right and left halves. Midsagittal or median
plane divides the body into equal right and left halves.
2. Frontal or coronal: the body is divided into anterior and posterior sides.
B. Horizontal Planes: there is one plane that bisects the body at a right angle to the long
axis. It is also called a transverse plane or cross-section. They divide the body into
superior and inferior parts.
