Orientation of the Human Body

Question 1

Anatomical Position

Answer 1

• body erect
• feet slightly apart
• palms facing forward - thumbs facing away from the body

Question 2

Directional Terms

Answer 2

• describe 1 body structure in relation to another body structure
• direction is always based on standard anatomical position
• right and left refer to the body being viewed, no the right and left of the observer

Question 3

Inferior

Answer 3

• “caudal”
• away from the head end or toward the lower part of a structure or the body; below
• ex: the navel is inferior to the chin

Question 4

Superior

Answer 4

• also “cranial”
• toward the head end or upper part of a structure or the body; above
• ex: the head is superior to the abdomen

Question 5

Anterior

Answer 5

• “ventral”
• toward or at the front of the body; in front of
• the breast bone is anterior to the spine

Question 6

Posterior

Answer 6

• “dorsal”
• toward or at the back of the body; behind
• the heart is posterior to the breastbone

Question 7

Medial

Answer 7

• toward or at the midline of the body; on the inner side of
• the heart is medial to the arm

Question 8

Lateral

Answer 8

• away from the midline of the body; on the outer side of
• the arms are lateral to the chest

Question 9

Intermediate

Answer 9

• between a more medial and a more lateral structure
• the collarbone is intermediate between the breastbone and shoulder

Question 10

Proximal

Answer 10

• closer to the origin of the body part or the point of attachment of a limb to the body trunk
• the elbow is proximal to the wrist
  the knee is proximal to the ankle

Question 11

Distal

Answer 11

• farther from the origin of a body part of the point of attachment of a limb
  to the body trunk
• the knee is distal to the thigh

Question 12

Superficial

Answer 12

• “external”
• toward or at the end of the body surface
• the skin is superficial to the skeletal muscles

Question 13

Deep

Answer 13

• “internal”
• away from the body surface; more internal
• the lungs are deep to the skin

Question 14

Regional Terms

Answer 14

• designate specific areas within body divisions
• two major divisions: Axial and Appendicular

Question 15

Axial

Answer 15

• Regional term for head, neck, and trunk

Question 16

Appendicular

Answer 16

• regional term for limbs/extremities

Question 17

Body Planes

Answer 17

• surfaces along which a body or structure may be cut for anatomical study
• three most common planes: sagittal plane, frontal/coronal plane, transverse/horizontal plane

Question 18

Frontal Plane

Answer 18

• movement completed in this plane = side to side movement, like side lunges
• front vs back half of body
• cutting along a frontal plane produces a frontal section

Question 19

Transverse/horizontal Plane

Answer 19

• top/bottom of body
• movement completed in this plane = anything twisting, like twisting lunges, hula hooping

Question 20

Sagittal Plane

Answer 20

• side/side of body (cut down the middle of forehead all the way down the spine and to the tail bone)
• movements completed in this plane = anything front/back, like walking and running, and forward lunges

Question 21

Midsagittal/median plane

Answer 21

• division made perfectly on midline

Question 22

Parasagittal plane

Answer 22

• division made off center, not on midline

Question 23

Oblique section

Answer 23

results from a cut at an angle other than 90 degrees to a vertical plane

Question 24

Body cavities

Answer 24

• body cavities provide different degrees of protection to the organs within them
• two major cavities: dorsal and ventral cavity

Question 25

Dorsal cavity

Answer 25

• protects fragile nervous system
• two subdivisions:
• cranial cavity - encases brain
• vertebral cavity - encases spinal cord

Question 26

Ventral body cavity

Answer 26

• houses the internal organs
• collectively, the internal organs are called viscera
• two subdivisions:
• thoracic cavity - heart and lungs
• abdominopelvic cavity - abdominal and pelvic cavities

Question 27

Divisions of the thoracic cavity

Answer 27

• 2 pleural cavities (pleurae) - each surrounds one lung
• mediastinum: contains the pericardial cavity (containing heart) and surrounds the other thoracic organs (esophagus, trachea, etc.)

Question 28

Abdominopelvic cavity

Answer 28

• Abdominal cavity: contains the stomach, intestines, spleen, and liver
• pelvic cavity: contains the urinary bladder, reproductive organs, and rectum

Question 29

Clinical connection: Hiatal Hernia

Answer 29

• condition that exists when part of the stomach protrudes through the diaphragm into the thoracic cavity
• symptoms: heartburn/irritation caused by stomach acid moving into the distal esophagus
• severe cases may require surgical repair

Question 30

Membranes of the ventral body cavity

Answer 30

• serosa (serous membrane): a thin, double layered membrane that covers a cavity’s surfaces
• parietal serosa: lines the internal walls of the cavity
• visceral serosa: lines the internal organs (viscera)
• the serosa’s double layers are separated by a slit-like cavity filled with serous fluid

Question 31

Clinical connection: serous membrane

Answer 31

• serous membranes can become inflamed because of infections or other causes
• double layers become rough, can stick together
• this can be very painful
• examples: pleurisy and peritonitis

Question 32

Abdominopelvic quadrants

Answer 32

• right upper quadrant
• right lower quadrant
• left upper quadrant
• left lower quadrant
• ex: the appendix is located in the right lower quadrant

Question 33

Abdominopelvic Regions

Answer 33

• Top row: right hypochondriac region, epigastric region, left hypochindriac region
• middle row: right lumbar region, umbilical region, left lumbar region
• bottom row: Right iliac (inguinal) region, hypogastric region, left iliac (inguinal) region

Question 34

Other body cavities

Answer 34

small body cavities that are exposed to external environment:
- oral cavity
- digestive cavity
- nasal cavity
- orbital cavity
- middle ear cavity
small body cavities that are not exposed to the environment:
- synovial cavities (in between segments of bones)