Unit 3: A&P - Topographic Anatomy, Planes of the Body, Direction, Movement, and Position Terms Flashcards
_____ applies to the body in the anatomic position so that everyone is referring to the body in the same way.
Topographic anatomy
What is the anatomic position?
Patient stands facing you, arms at side, palms forward.
Directional terms are always from the patient’s perspective (i.e., left arm)
What are the three main areas depending on how the body is divided?
- Frontal (coronal) plane
- Transverse (axial) plane
- Sagittal (lateral) plane
Coronal (frontal) plane
divides the body front and back
Transverse (axial) plane
divides the body top and bottom
Sagittal (lateral) plane
divides the body left and right (not necessarily in equal halves)
Midsagittal (midline) plane
a special type of sagittal plane where the body is cut in half, leaving equal left and right halves
You need to know the correct directional terms to discuss what two things?
- Where an injury is located
- How the pain radiates in the body
What are nine examples of directional terms?
- right and left
- superior and inferior
- lateral and medial
- proximal and distal
- superficial and deep
- ventral and dorsal
- anterior and posterior
- palmar and plantar
- apex
right and left
Refer to the patient’s right and left sides
superior and inferior
closer to head/closer to feet
ex: the knee is superior to the foot and inferior to the pelvis
lateral and medial
side/inner
ex: a patient has a 5-cm laceration on the medial aspect of the thigh (means toward the inside)
proximal and distal
closer to the trunk/farther away from trunk
ex: the elbow is distal to the shoulder and proximal to the wrist and hand
superficial and deep
closer to or on the skin/ farther inside the body or tissue, and away from the skin
ex: a superficial burn involves only the top layer of skin, similar to sunburn, whereas a deep laceration involves a cut deeper into the tissue such as with a knife
anterior and posterior
front surface of the body/ back surface of the body
more commonly used terms
vental and dorsal
belly side/spinal side
used in human anatomy when anterior and posterior are inappropriate
ex: dorsal (top) of the foot. Or think dorsal fin of a dolphin which is its back
palmar and plantar
palm of hand/ bottom of foot
apex/apices
tip of the structure
ex: the apex of the heart is the bottom (inferior portion) of the ventricles in the left side of the chest
_____ relate to movement
Movement terms
Flexion
bending of joint
Extension
straightening of joint
adduction
motion toward the midline
abduction
motion away from the midline
A body part that appears on (or in) the body or both sides of the midline is _____
bilateral
ex: eyes, ears, hands feet
or on the inside of the body: lungs and kidneys
What are the the four equal quadrants of the abdominal cavity?
- Right upper quadrant (RUQ)
- Left upper quadrant (LUQ)
- Right lower quadrant (RLQ)
- Left lower quadrant (LLQ)
What are five positional terms used to describe the the position of the patient on arrival or during transport to the emergency department?
- prone or surpine
- fowler position
- semi-fowler
- high-fowler
- recovery position
In this position, the patient is lying face down
prone
In this position, the patient is lying face up
surpine
In this position, the patient is sitting up
fowler position
high fowler (90-degree angle)
What are six body positions related to physical examinations?
- Trendelenburg position
- High-Fowler’s position
- Semi-Fowler’s position
- Horizontal Recumbent (Surpine) Position
- Dorsal Recumbent
- Lithotomy position
In this position, the patient’s legs are higher than the head
Trendelenburg position
In this position, elevate the bed 90°, patient sits upright at the head of the table
or
Patient sits upright at the foot of the table
High-Fowler’s position
In this position, elevate the head of the bed 45°. Patient is semi-upright.
Semi-Fowler’s Position
In this position, patient lies flat on the back with the face upward
Horizontal Recumbent (Surpine) Position
In this position, patient lies flat on the back, with the face upward. Flex knees so that the feet are flat on the table.
Dorsal Recumbent
In this position, have patient buttocks down to the bottom edge of the table. Patient is flat on back, with knees sharply flexed. Arms at sides or folded across the chest. Feet are wide apart, supported by stirrups. (Do not position the patient until the provider is in the room and ready for this part of the exam)
Lithotomy Position
