Key anatomical concepts

Question 1

what is the anatomical position?

Answer 1

refers to the positioning of the body:
- standing upright and facing forward
- each arm hanging on either side of the body
- the palms facing forward
- The legs are parallel
- feet flat on the floor and facing forward

Question 2

what is a plane?

Answer 2

imaginary flat surface passing through body

Question 3

how many planes are there?

Answer 3

3

Question 4

what are the 3 planes?

Answer 4

• coronal (or frontal)
• transverse (or cross-sectional)
• sagittal plane

Question 5

what is the coronal (or frontal) plane?

Answer 5

Vertical plane dividing the body into anterior (front) and posterior (back) parts

Question 6

what is the transverse (or cross-sectional) plane?

Answer 6

Horizontal plane dividing the body into superior (top) and inferior (bottom) parts

Question 7

what is the sagittal plane?

Answer 7

Parallel to midsagittal, but left or right of midsagittal; divides structure into unequal portions

Question 8

what is the midsagittal (or median) plane?

Answer 8

Vertical plane dividing the body into equal left and right halves

Question 9

what does anterior mean?

Answer 9

in front

Question 10

what does posterior mean?

Answer 10

behind

Question 11

what does dorsal mean?

Answer 11

back

Question 12

what does ventral mean?

Answer 12

front

Question 13

what does medial mean?

Answer 13

middle

Question 14

what does lateral mean?

Answer 14

side

Question 15

what does proximal mean?

Answer 15

close to

Question 16

what does distal mean?

Answer 16

away from

Question 17

what does prone mean?

Answer 17

the person lies flat with the chest down and the back up

Question 18

what does supine mean?

Answer 18

lying on the back with the face pointing upward

Question 19

what are the 2 main regions the body is divided into?

Answer 19

• axiel region: head, neck and trunk
• appendicular region: upper and lower limbs

Question 20

what are the 4 many body cavities?

Answer 20

• Cranial cavity
• Thoracic cavity
• Abdominal cavity
• Pelvic cavity

Question 21

how many vertebrae are in the spine?

Answer 21

33

Question 22

what are the divisions of the vertebrae?

Answer 22

• Cervical: C1-7
• Thoracic: T1-12
• Lumbar: L1-5
• Sacral: S1-5 fused
• Coccygeal: Co4 fused

Question 23

what are all the nerves in the spinal cord?

Answer 23

• Cervical: C1-C8
• Thoracic: T1-T12
• Lumbar: L1-L5
• Sacral: S1-S5
• Coccygeal: Co1

Question 24

how many regions of nerves are in the spinal cord?

Answer 24

5