Week 1: Anatomical Terms Flashcards
Anatomic Variation
Not everyone is exactly the same ie: different races, hair color, eye color, sex, height, body type, etc
Directional Terms
Used to describe the “location” or “direction” of one organ compared to another ie: more scientific way of saying your heart is above your stomach, and in front o your lungs.
Anatomical Position
Standing straight up/ body erect, feet flat on the ground, arms at your side, and palms facing forward/ thumbs facing away from body. It is the position that the rest of the anatomical terms are derived.
Superior/ Inferior
Superior: above
Inferior: below
Anterior/ Posterior
Anterior (Ventral): in front
Posterior (Dorsal): towards your back
Proximal/ Distal
Proximal: closer to trunk or attachment point ie: elbow is proximal to shoulder
Distal: farther from the trunk or attachment point ie: the wrist is distal to the shoulder
Central/ Peripheral
Central: toward the brain or spinal cord ie: the spinal cord is central to the limbs
Peripheral: away from the brain or spinal cord (toward the limbs) ie: the arms are peripheral to the spinal cord
Superficial/ Deep
Superficial: close to the body surface (when looking inside towards the skin) ie: you can see superficial bruises because they’re on the surface
Deep: closer to the inside of the body (farther away from the surface of the body) ie: bones are deep to the muscle
Medial/ Lateral
Medial: torward the midline ie: your heart is medial to your lungs
Lateral: away from the middle (towards a side): your arms are lateral to your heart
Supine/ Prone
Supine: body laying facing up
Prone: Body laying facing down
Planes of body
Planes: imaginary flat surface passing through the body
Often used in directions for dissections or as a reference in figures
Saggital Plane
Saggital (median): divides left/ right
Frontal Plane
Frontal (coronal): divides anterior/ posterior
Transverse Plane
Transverse (horizontal): divides inferior/ superior; divides body horizontally
Example: Brain,
Mid-saggital Plane
Midsaggital or Medial: saggital plane that lies on the midline
Examples: Brain, Nose, or anything along the midline
Axial region
Along axis of body- torso or head
Axial: Cephalic
Head (anterior)
Frontal
Forehead (anterior)
Orbital
Eye (anterior)
Buccal
Cheek (anterior)
Mental
Chin (anterior)
Facial
on your face (anterior)
Occipital
Back of head (posterior)
Cervical
Neck