Anatomical Terminology

Prefixes Throughout this book you will see many vocabulary words that are unfamiliar. Hopefully by learning the following prefixes this will enable you to associate the unfamiliar term with the appropriate body section.

Prefixes append cardi- cerebr cran dors homeo To hang something heart brain cran helmet dors back homeo same

Prefixes logy meta- nas orb pariet pelv The study of change nose circle pariet wall pelv Basin, around

Prefixes stasis peri- pleur super tomy Standing still around rib above cutting

Relative Position Anatomical Position???? is standing erect the face is forward upper limbs are at the sides the palms forward.

Relative Position Terms of relative position are used to describe the location of one body part with respect to another. They include the following….

Superior/ Inferior Superior….?? means a part is above another part or closer to the head. (The thoracic cavity is superior to the abdominopelvic cavity.) Inferior…??? means a part is below another part or toward the feet. ( the neck is inferior to the head)

Anterior/Posterior Anterior-(aka Ventral)…??? means toward the front. (the eyes are anterior to the brain) Posterior-(aka dorsal)…??? means toward the back. (the pharynx is posterior to the oral cavity)

Medial/Lateral Medial…??? relates to an imaginary midline dividing the body into equal right and left halves. (the nose is medial to the eyes) Lateral…??? means toward the side with respect to the imaginary midline. (the ears are lateral to the eyes)

Ipsilateral/Contralateral pertains to the same side (the spleen and the descending colon are ipsilateral). Contralateral..?? refers to the opposite sides. (the spleen and gallbladder are contralateral).

Proximal/Distal Proximal…??? is used to describe a part that is closer to the trunk of the body or closer to another specified point of reference than another part. (the elbow is proximal to the wrist) Distal…??? it means a particular body part is farther from the trunk or farther from another specified point of reference than another part. (the fingers are distal to the wrist).

Superficial/ Peripheral Superfical..?? means situated near the surface. (the epidermis is the superficial layer of the skin) Peripheral…??? also means outward or near the surface. Used to describe the location of certain blood vessels and nerves. The nerves that branch from the brain and spinal cord are peripheral nerves)

Body Plans/Sections                                                                              

Body Planes/Sections Sagittal?? (median plane)- refers to a lengthwise cut that divides the body into right and left portions.

Body Planes/Sections Transverse ?? (horizontal)- refers to a cut that divides the body into superior and inferior portions.

Body Planes/Sections Coronal??? (frontal)- refers to a section that divides the body into anterior and posterior portions.

Upper Region Left and Right upper regions are called??? Hypochondriac Regions Upper middle is called… Epigastric Region

Middle Region Left and Right middle regions are called???? Lumbar Regions Middle-middle region is called??? Umbilical Regions.

Lower Region Left and Right lower regions are called??? Iliac Region Lower Middle region is called??? Hypogastric Regions.

Abdominal Subdivisions

ANATOMICAL TERMS Region between the thorax and pelvis ABDOMINAL REGIONS Abdomen Celiac

ANATOMICAL TERMS Point of Shoulder Acromial

ANATOMICAL TERMS Forearm Antebrachial

ANATOMICAL TERMS Space in front of the elbow Antecubital

ANATOMICAL TERMS Armpit Axillary

ANATOMICAL TERMS Arm Brachial

ANATOMICAL TERMS Cheek Buccal

ANATOMICAL TERMS Wrist Carpal

ANATOMICAL TERMS Head Cephalic

ANATOMICAL TERMS Neck Cervical

ANATOMICAL TERMS Ribs Costal….or Pleur

ANATOMICAL TERMS Hip Coxal

ANATOMICAL TERMS Leg Crural

ANATOMICAL TERMS Elbow Cubital

ANATOMICAL TERMS Fingers Digital

ANATOMICAL TERMS Back Dorsum/Dors

ANATOMICAL TERMS Thigh Femoral

ANATOMICAL TERMS Forehead Frontal

ANATOMICAL TERMS Reproductive Organs Genital

ANATOMICAL TERMS Buttocks Gluteal

ANATOMICAL TERMS Depressed area of the abdominal wall near the thigh… commonly called the groin Inguinal

ANATOMICAL TERMS Region of the lower back…between the ribs and the pelvis. Lumbar

ANATOMICAL TERMS Breast Mammary

ANATOMICAL TERMS Chin Mental

ANATOMICAL TERMS Nose Nasal/Nas

ANATOMICAL TERMS Lower posterior region of the head..or back of the head Occipital

ANATOMICAL TERMS Mouth Oral

ANATOMICAL TERMS Eye Cavity Orbital

ANATOMICAL TERMS Ear Otic                       

ANATOMICAL TERMS Palm of the Hand Palmar

ANATOMICAL TERMS Front of the knee Patellar

ANATOMICAL TERMS Chest Pectoral

ANATOMICAL TERMS Foot Pedal

ANATOMICAL TERMS Pelvis Pelvic

ANATOMICAL TERMS Region between the anus and the external reproductive organs Perineal

ANATOMICAL TERMS Sole of the foot Plantar

ANATOMICAL TERMS Area behind the knee Popliteal

ANATOMICAL TERMS Posterior region between the hipbones. Sacral

ANATOMICAL TERMS Middle of the thorax, anteriorly Sternal

ANATOMICAL TERMS Instep of the foot Tarsal               

ANATOMICAL TERMS Navel Umbilical

ANATOMICAL TERMS Spinal columns Vertebral