Unit 3: A&P - Topographic Anatomy, Planes of the Body, Direction, Movement, and Position Terms

Question 1

_____ applies to the body in the anatomic position so that everyone is referring to the body in the same way.

Answer 1

Topographic anatomy

Question 2

What is the anatomic position?

Answer 2

Patient stands facing you, arms at side, palms forward.
Directional terms are always from the patient’s perspective (i.e., left arm)

Question 3

What are the three main areas depending on how the body is divided?

Answer 3

1. Frontal (coronal) plane
2. Transverse (axial) plane
3. Sagittal (lateral) plane

Question 4

Coronal (frontal) plane

Answer 4

divides the body front and back

Question 5

Transverse (axial) plane

Answer 5

divides the body top and bottom

Question 6

Sagittal (lateral) plane

Answer 6

divides the body left and right (not necessarily in equal halves)

Question 7

Midsagittal (midline) plane

Answer 7

a special type of sagittal plane where the body is cut in half, leaving equal left and right halves

Question 8

You need to know the correct directional terms to discuss what two things?

Answer 8

1. Where an injury is located
2. How the pain radiates in the body

Question 9

What are nine examples of directional terms?

Answer 9

1. right and left
2. superior and inferior
3. lateral and medial
4. proximal and distal
5. superficial and deep
6. ventral and dorsal
7. anterior and posterior
8. palmar and plantar
9. apex

Question 10

right and left

Answer 10

Refer to the patient’s right and left sides

Question 11

superior and inferior

Answer 11

closer to head/closer to feet

ex: the knee is superior to the foot and inferior to the pelvis

Question 12

lateral and medial

Answer 12

side/inner

ex: a patient has a 5-cm laceration on the medial aspect of the thigh (means toward the inside)

Question 13

proximal and distal

Answer 13

closer to the trunk/farther away from trunk

ex: the elbow is distal to the shoulder and proximal to the wrist and hand

Question 14

superficial and deep

Answer 14

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

Question 15

anterior and posterior

Answer 15

front surface of the body/ back surface of the body
more commonly used terms

Question 16

vental and dorsal

Answer 16

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

Question 17

palmar and plantar

Answer 17

palm of hand/ bottom of foot

Question 18

apex/apices

Answer 18

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

Question 19

_____ relate to movement

Answer 19

Movement terms

Question 20

Flexion

Answer 20

bending of joint

Question 21

Extension

Answer 21

straightening of joint

Question 22

adduction

Answer 22

motion toward the midline

Question 23

abduction

Answer 23

motion away from the midline

Question 24

A body part that appears on (or in) the body or both sides of the midline is _____

Answer 24

bilateral

ex: eyes, ears, hands feet
or on the inside of the body: lungs and kidneys

Question 25

What are the the four equal quadrants of the abdominal cavity?

Answer 25

1. Right upper quadrant (RUQ)
2. Left upper quadrant (LUQ)
3. Right lower quadrant (RLQ)
4. Left lower quadrant (LLQ)

Question 26

What are five positional terms used to describe the the position of the patient on arrival or during transport to the emergency department?

Answer 26

1. prone or surpine
2. fowler position
3. semi-fowler
4. high-fowler
5. recovery position

Question 27

In this position, the patient is lying face down

Answer 27

prone

Question 28

In this position, the patient is lying face up

Answer 28

surpine

Question 29

In this position, the patient is sitting up

Answer 29

fowler position
high fowler (90-degree angle)

Question 30

What are six body positions related to physical examinations?

Answer 30

1. Trendelenburg position
2. High-Fowler’s position
3. Semi-Fowler’s position
4. Horizontal Recumbent (Surpine) Position
5. Dorsal Recumbent
6. Lithotomy position

Question 31

In this position, the patient’s legs are higher than the head

Answer 31

Trendelenburg position

Question 32

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

Answer 32

High-Fowler’s position

Question 33

In this position, elevate the head of the bed 45°. Patient is semi-upright.

Answer 33

Semi-Fowler’s Position

Question 34

In this position, patient lies flat on the back with the face upward

Answer 34

Horizontal Recumbent (Surpine) Position

Question 35

In this position, patient lies flat on the back, with the face upward. Flex knees so that the feet are flat on the table.

Answer 35

Dorsal Recumbent

Question 36

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)

Answer 36

Lithotomy Position