Positional and Directional Terms Flashcards
Posterior (dorsal)
The back side of the body
Eg: the back of the head is posterior to the face.
Anterior (ventral)
Front surface of the body.
Eg: forehead is on the anterior side of the body
Deep
Away from the surface.
Eg: The stab wound penetrated deep into the abdomen.
Superficial
On the surface
Eg: Superficial veins can be viewed through the skin.
Proximal
Near the point of attachment to the trunk or near the beginning of the structure.
Eg: The proximal end of the humerus joins with the shoulder bone.
Distal
Far from the point of attachment to the trunk or beginning of the structure.
Eg: At it’s distal end, the humerus joins with the lower arm bones at the elbow.
Inferior
Below another structure.
Eg: The feet are at the inferior part of the body. They are inferior to the knees. The term CAUDAL (pertaining to the tail, or lower portion of the body) also means away from the head or below another structure.
Superior
Above another structure.
Eg: The head lies superior to the neck. Cephalic (pertaining to the head) also means above another structure.
Medial
Pertaining to the middle, or nearer the medial plane of the body.
Eg: The inner thigh is medial in relation to the outer thigh.
Lateral
Pertaining to the side.
Eg: the outer thigh is lateral in relation to the body.
Supine
Lying on the back.
Eg: The patient lies supine during an examination of the abdomen. ( the face is up in the sUPine position.)
Prone
Lying on the belly.
Eg: the backbones are examined with the patient in the prone position (the patient lies on his stomach in the prONe position)
Frontal (coronal) plane
Vertical plane dividing the body into anterior and posterior portions
Sagittal (lateral) plane
Lengthwise vertical plane dividing the body or structure into right and left sides.
Transverse plane (cross-sectional or axial)
Horizontal plane running across the body parallel to the ground. This plane divides the body or structure into upper and lower sections.
