L1 ANATOMICAL TERMS & POSITIONS Flashcards
What is anatomy?
Study of the structure of body parts and their relationships to one another
What are the two main approaches to study anatomy?
- Regional or topographical anatomy.
2. Systematic anatomy
What is regional anatomy?
Study one region of the body at a time and learn
everything about the region
Study of the structures such as bones, joints, muscles, blood vessels, nerves and organs and their relationship to each other in one region of the body
What are the five divisions of the body?
Head, Neck, Trunk (thorax & abdomen), upper limbs and lower limbs
What is systemic anatomy?
Study of one body systems at a time.
What constitutes systemic anatomy?
Human body systems or organ systems.
What are the 11 body systems?
Cardio-vascular system, Digestive system, Endocrine system, Integumentary system, Lymphatic System, Muscular system, Nervous system, Reproductive System, Respiratory system, Skeletal system, Urinary system
What are cells?
Smallest unit of life
e.g. muscle cells
What are tissues?
Group of similar cells performing a common function
e.g. - muscle tissue: muscle cells
What are organs?
A group of different kinds of tissues working together to perform a particular activity
e.g. heart is an organ composed of muscle, nervous, connective and epithelial tissues
What are organ systems?
Two or more organs working together to accomplish a particular task e.g. digestive system
What does the cardiovascular system include?
3
Heart, blood and blood vessels (arteries and veins)
Functions of Cardiovascular system?
Concerned with pumping and channeling blood to
and from the body and lungs
To transport nutrients, gases (such as oxygen and
CO2), hormones and wastes through the body
What does the Digestive system include?
9
Includes mouth (oral cavity), salivary glands, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, small and large intestines, liver, gallbladder, pancreas
Functions of Digestive System?
Digestion and processing of food.
Breakdown and absorb nutrients necessary for growth and maintenance
What does Urinary system include?
4
kidneys, ureters, urinarybladder and urethra
Functions of Urinary system?
Filter out cellular wastes, toxins and excess water or
nutrients from the circulatory system.
Involved in fluid balance, electrolyte balance and
excretion of urine.
What does the Respiratory system include?
7
nose, pharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchi, lungs and diaphragm
Functions of the Respiratory system?
To provide gas exchange between the blood and the
environment
What does the Endocrine System include?
8
Pituitary gland, pineal gland,
thyroid gland, parathyroid glands, adrenal glands,
pancreas, testis, ovary
Functions of the Endocrine system?
Glands produce regulatory substances called hormones which control the metabolic activities of the body.
What does the reproductive system include? (10)
- Ovaries, fallopian tubes (uterine tubes), uterus, vagina, mammary glands in females
- Testes, vas deferens, seminal vesicles, prostate and penis in males
Functions of the Reproductive system?
Organs which work together for the purpose of reproduction
What are the parts of the Nervous system ?
- Central Nervous System
2. Peripheral nervous system
What does the peripheral nervous system consist of?
12 pairs of cranial nerves
31 pairs of spinal nerves
What does the central nervous system consist of?
- brain
2. spinal cord
What are the functions of the nervous system?
Relay electrical signals(impulses) through the body
Directs behaviour and movement
Collecting, transferring and processing information
Controls physiological processes such as digestion, circulation etc
What does the skeletal system consist of? (4)
bones, cartilage, ligaments and tendons
What is the function of the Skeletal system?
4
Provides support, shape for the body to protect delicate internal organs.
Forms joints for movements
Produces blood cells in the bone marrow, stores salts like calcium
Gives attachment to muscles
What does the muscular system consist of?
muscles
What are the functions of the muscular system? (3)
Provide movement
Contract to move limbs and provide the organism with mobility
Control the movement of materials through some organs e.g stomach and intestine, heart and circulatory system.
What does the integumentary system consist of?
skin, hair, nails, sweat and sebaceous glands
What are the functions of the integumentary system?
Protects the body from the outside world and its many harmful substances
Regulate body temperature
Serves as a minor excretory organ
Makes the inner body aware of its outer environment through sensory receptors
What does the Lymphatic system consist of?
A series of vessels and nodes
What are the functions of the Lymphatic system?
Collect and filter excess tissue fluid (lymph) before returning it to the venous circulation
Part of body’s immune defense
Structures involved in transfer of lymph between tissues and blood stream
Help to filter harmful substances from the bloodstream
Destroy and remove invading microbes and viruses from the body
What are the six subdivisions of anatomy?
- Gross anatomy
- Microscopic anatomy
- Developmental antomy (embryology)
- Surface anatomy
- Radiographic anatomy
- Clinical (applied) anatomy
What is gross anatomy?
Study of structures that can be seen with the eye (muscles, bones, organs)
What is microscopic anatomy?
Study of structures that cannot be seen with the eye
Microscope needed
Learn about the structure of cells and how they relate to each other
What is developmental anatomy?
Study of development of an embryo from the single cell to complete human being
What is surface anatomy?
Study of the external features of the body
Deals with anatomical features that can be studied by sight, without dissection.
What is radiographic anatomy?
Study of internal structures through radiographic films – xray,CT scan, MRI
What is clinical applied anatomy?
Practical application of anatomical knowledge to clinical practice (diagnosis and treatment)
What is anatomical position?
Position in which we study the body
What is cytology?
study of cells
What is histology?
study of tissues
Describe the position of someone standing upright.
Head, eyes and toes
directed forward:
– Upper limbs adjacent to the sides with palms facing forward and thumbs pointing away from the
body
– Lower limbs close together with the feet parallel
Supine position?
lying on the back, with the face upward
Prone position?
lying flat on your stomach
Lithotomy position?
lying on your back with your legs flexed 90 degrees at your hips
What is a plane?
Plane is an imaginary flat surface that passes through the body.
What is sagittal plane?
Divides the body or an organ into right and left
parts.
What is Median or midsagittal plane?
Divides the body into 2 equal portions
What is Parasagittal plane?
Divides the body into 2 unequal portions
What is Coronal or frontal plane?
Divides the body or an organ into front and back portions
What is Transverse
(horizontal) plane?
Divides the body or an organ into upper and lower portions
What is oblique plane?
Combination of other planes
What does superior (cranial) mean?
Example?
Above: Toward the head or upper part of a structure
Nose lies superior to mouth
What does inferior (caudal) mean?
Example?
Below: Away from the head or toward the lower part of a structure.
Stomach lies inferior to heart
What does anterior (ventral) mean?
Example?
In front: Toward or at the front
Sternum is anterior to heart
What does posterior (dorsal) mean?
Example?
Toward or at the back
Brain is posterior to forehead
What does medial mean?
Example?
Toward the midline of the body
Eye lies medial to the ear
What does lateral mean?
Example?
Away from the midline of the body
Ear lies lateral to the eye
What does proximal mean?
Closer to the origin of the body part or the point of attachment of a limb to
the body trunk
Knee is proximal to ankle
What does distal mean?
Away from the origin of a body part
or the point of attachment of a limb to the
body trunk
Wrist lies distal to elbow
What does superficial (external) mean?
Toward body surface
skin is superficial to the muscles.
What does deep (internal) mean?
Away from the body surface, more internal
teeth lie deep to lips
What does Ipsilateral mean?
On the same side
Right hand and foot are ipsilateral
What does contralateral mean?
Opposite sides
Right hand and left foot are contralateral.
What does Flexion mean?
Movement by which angle of joint is decreased.
What does Extension mean?
Movement by which angle of joint is increased.
What does lateral flexion mean?
Movement of trunk in coronal plane
What does adduction mean?
Movement toward the midline of the body (central axis)
What does abduction mean?
Movement away
from the midline of the body (central axis)
What does medial rotation mean?
Rotation towards the medial side of the body
What does lateral rotation mean?
Rotation towards the lateral side of the body.
What does circumduction mean?
Combination of flexion, extension, abduction and adduction movements
What does pronation mean?
movement of forearm,
where the palm is turned downwards
What does supination mean?
movement of forearm,
where the palm is turned upwards
What does inversion mean?
movement of foot, where
the sole of the foot is directed
medially
What eversion mean?
movement of foot, where
the sole of the foot is directed
laterally
What does protraction mean?
to move forward
What does retraction mean?
To move backward
What does elevation mean?
To move a part superiorly
What does depression mean?
To move a part inferiorly
What are the 5 body cavities?
Cranial cavity
Vertebral cavity
Thoracic cavity
Abdominopelvic cavity: Abdominal and Pelvic cavity
Describe the cranial cavity.
Situated in the skull.
Major contents: Brain, meninges
(coverings), cerebro-spinal fluid
Describe Vertebral cavity.
Situated in the vertebral column
Major contents: Spinal cord,
meninges (coverings), cerebrospinal fluid
Describe Thoracic cavity.
Situated in the thorax
Major contents: heart, lungs
Describe Abdominopelvic cavity.
Situated in the abdomen
Has 2 parts- abdominal cavity and pelvic cavity
Describe abdominal cavity.
Major contents: stomach, small intestine, most of the large
intestine, liver, pancreas, spleen, suprarenal (adrenal)
glands, kidneys, parts of ureters, large vessels such as
abdominal aorta, inferior vena cava and portal vein
Describe pelvic cavity.
Situated in pelvis.
Lower part of abdominopelvic cavity.
Major contents: parts of large intestine, urinary
bladder, ureters, urethra, male and female
reproductive organ
