Directional Terms Flashcards
anter/o
front
caud/o
tail (downward)
cephal/o
head (upward)
dist/o
away (from point of attachment)
dors/o
back
infer/o
below
later/o
side
medi/o
middle
poster/o
back/behind
proxim/o
near
super/o
above
ventr/o
belly (Front)
bi-
two
uni-
one
-ad
toward-
-al; -ic; -ior
pertianing to
-gram
the record; radiographic image
-graph
instrument used to recrod, the record itself-
-graphy
process of recroding
-logist
one who studies and treats
-logy
study of
toward the tail (or the inferior portion of the trunk; downward)
caudad
toward the head (upward)
cephalad
pertaining to the side
lateral
pertaining to the middle
medial
pertaining to one side (only)
unilateral
pertaining to two sides
bilateral
pertaining to the middle and to the side
mediolateral
pertaining to away (from the point of attachment of a body part)
distal
pertaining to near (to the point of attachment of a body part)
proximal
pertaining to below
inferior
pertainining to above
superior
pertaining to the tail (synonymous with inferior in human anatomy when specifying location on the trunk of the body)
caudal
pertaining to the head
cephalic
pertaining to the front
anterior
pertaining to the back
posterior; dorsal
pertaining to the belly
ventral
pertaining to the front of the back
anteroposterior
pertaining to the back of the front
posteroanterior
around the navel (umbilicus)
umbilical region
to the right and left of the umbilical region, near the waist
lumbar region
superior to the umbilical region
epigastric region
to the right and left of the epigastric region
hypochondriac region
inferior to the umbilical region
hypogastric region
to the right and left of the hypogastric region, near the groin (also called inguinal regions)
iliac regions (2)
horizontal plane dividing the body into superior and inferior portions (also called transverse plane and horizontal plane)
axial
vertical plane passing through the body from side to side, dividing the body into anterior and posterior portions (also called frontal plane)
coronal
vertical plane passing through the body from front to back at the midline, dividing the body equally into right and left halves
midsagittal
vertical plane passing through the body from front to back, dividing the body into unequal left and right sides
parasagittal
vertical plane passing through the body from front to back, dividing the body into right and left sides (any plane parallel to the midsagittal plane)
sagittal
semi-sitting position with slight elevation of the knees
fowler position
lying on side; right and left precede the term to indicate the patient’s side
lateral recumbent position
lying on back with legs raised and feet in stirrups, hips and knees flexed, and thighs abducted (away from body) and externally rotated
lithotomy position
sitting upright in a chair or in bed supported by pillows behind the back. Sometimes the patient tilts forward, resting on a pillow supported by an overbed table. (also called orthopneic position)
orthopnea position
lying on abdomen, facing downward; head may be turned to one side; also called ventral recumbent position
prone position
lying down in any position (also called decubitus position)
recumbent position
lying on side between a lateral and prone position with the upper knee drawn up toward the chest and the lower arm drawn behind parallel to the back. “Right” or “left” precedes the term to indicate the patient’s right or left side.
semiprone position
lying on back, facing upward (also called dorsal recumbent position)
supine position
lying on back with body tilted so that the head is lower than the feet
trendelenburg position
record of x-rays
radiograph
process of recording x-rays
radiography
physician who specializes in x-rays (specifically the diagnosis and treatment of disease using medical imaging such as x-rays, computed tomography [CT], magnetic resonance imaging [MRI], nuclear medicine [NM], and sonography)
radiologist
study of x-rays (a branch of medicine concerned with the study and application of imaging technology, including x-ray, computed tomography [CT], magnetic resonance imaging [MRI], nuclear medicine [NM], and sonography to diagnose and treat disease)
radiology
record of sound
sonogram
process of recording sound (also called ultrasonography [US])
sonography
process of recording slices (anatomical cross sections)
tomography
ant
anterior
AP
anteroposterior
inf
inferior
lat
lateral
med
medial
PA
posteroanterior
sup
superior
CT
computed tomography
MR
magnetic resonance
MRI
magnetic resonance imaging
NM
nuclear medicine
US
ultrasonography
LLQ
left lower quadrant
LUQ
left upper quardrant
RLQ
right lower quadrant
RUQ
right upper quadrant