Language of Anatomy Terms with precise meanings are used to help medical and healthcare professionals communicate effectively with one another about the human body. You are responsible for the following terms and being able to apply them!

Language of Anatomy Anatomical Position Feet parallel Arms hanging at sides Palms facing forward Thumbs pointing away from body Don’t forget… his left is on your right-hand side!!! RIGHT LEFT

Body Position Supine Laying Face-up Prone Laying Face-Down

Directional Terms Superior (Cranial) Inferior (Caudal) Toward the head Above Inferior (Caudal) Away from the Head Below

Directional Terms Anterior (Ventral) Posterior (Dorsal) Toward the front of the body In front of Posterior (Dorsal) Toward the back of the body Behind

Directional Terms Medial Lateral Toward midline Inner side Away from midline Outer Side

Directional Terms Intermediate Between a medial and lateral structure

Directional Terms Proximal Distal Closer to the attachment point of a limb to the body trunk Distal Farther from the attachment point of a limb to the body trunk

Directional Terms

Directional Terms Superficial Deep Towards the body surface Away from the body surface More internal

Directional Terms Ipsilateral Contralateral On the same side of the body Contralateral On opposite sides of the body

Planes of the Body Median (Midsagittal) Plane – divides into equal right and left sections Frontal (Coronal) Plane – divides into anterior and posterior parts Transverse Plane – divides into superior and inferior parts

Regional Terms These are your “Parts of the Body” It is EXTREMELY helpful to make flash cards of these body parts as you are trying to memorize them!

Regional Terms Abdominal – abdomen Acromial – shoulder Antebrachial – lower arm Antecubital – anterior elbow Axillary – armpit Brachial – upper arm Buccal – cheek Calcaneal - heel Carpal – wrist Cephalic – head

Regional Terms Cervical - neck Coxal – hip Costal - ribs Cranial - skull Crural – lower leg Cubital – posterior elbow Digital – fingers, toes Dorsum – upper back Femoral – thigh (upper leg) Frontal – forehead

Regional Terms Gluteal – buttocks Hallux – big toe Inguinal – where thigh meets body trunk (groin) Lumbar – lower back Mammary - breast Mental - chin Nasal – nose Occipital - posterior base of head Oral - mouth Orbital – eye area

Regional Terms Otic - ear Palmar – palm of hand Patellar – anterior knee Pedal - foot Pelvic – anterior pelvis area Plantar – sole of foot Pollex - thumb Popliteal – posterior knee Pubic – genital region Scapular – shoulder blade

Regional Terms Sternal – breastbone Sural – calf of leg Tarsal – ankle Thoracic – chest Umbilical – navel Vertebral - spine

Body Cavities What kinds of organs might be found in the Dorsal Cavity? What kinds of organs might be found in the Ventral Cavity? Which of these organs would be specific to the Thoracic Cavity? To the Abdominopelvic Cavity?

Abdominopelvic Cavity Why would this cavity be vulnerable to damage? Because it is so large, it is helpful to break up this cavity into smaller sections for study One system used by medical personnel uses quadrants

Abdominopelvic Cavity Another system used by anatomists, divides it into 9 regions “epi” is upon, “gastric” is stomach “hypo” is below “Iliac” is the superior part of hip bone “lumbus” is loin “chondro” is cartilage