Terms Used in Describing Body Structure Flashcards
Superior
towards the head or upper/above
Inferior
towards the feet or lower/below
Anterior
front or in front of
Posterior
back or in back of
Medial
toward the midline of the body
Lateral
toward the side of the body, or away from its midline
Proximal
toward or nearest the trunk of the body, or nearest the point of origin of one of its parts
Distal
away from or farthest from the trunk or the point of origin of a body
Superficial
nearer the surface
Deep
farther away from the body surface
Lumen
the hollow area of an organ
Central
near the central
Peripheral
around the boundary
Medullary
an inner region of an organ
Cortical
an outer region or layer of an organ
Basal
the base or widest part of an organ (often when they are cone shaped)
Apical
the narrow tip or an organ (often when they are cone shaped)
Sagital Plane
a lengthwise plane running from front to back that divides the body or any of its parts into right and left sides. (midsagital – divides the body in half)
Coronal/Frontal Plane
a lengthwise plane running from side to side that divides the body or any of its parts into anterior and posterior portions.
Transverse Plane
a crosswise plane that divides the body or any of its parts into upper and lower parts.
A
Anterior
D
Distal
I
Inferior
L
Lateral/Left
