Body Planes, Cavities and Directional Terms

Why is it important for healthcare workers to know/use anatomical terms?

Universal position as a healthcare reference Anatomical Position

Median/ Midsagittal Divides the body or organ vertically into EQUAL right and left parts *Body Planes

Sagittal Divides the body or organ vertically into unequal right and left parts *Body Planes

Frontal/ Coronal Plane A vertical plane dividing the body or an organ into front and back sections. What is the medical term for front? back? *Body Planes

Transverse Plane A horizontal plane dividing the body or organ into upper and lower sections. What is the medical term for upper? lower? *Body Planes

Medial Lateral *Toward the midline *Middle *Away from the side *Toward the side of the body *Away from the midline MIDLINE

Proximal Distal *Toward or near the trunk of the body * Near the point of attachment to the body * Away from * Farther from the origin or attachment to the body Hand- fingers/ wrist knee/ ankle

Anterior Posterior *Front *In front of *Toward the front *Back *Behind Rostral (anterior)- toward the front *Back *Behind *Toward the rear 1 2

Dorsal Ventral * Near the upper surface * Toward the back * Toward the bottom * Toward the belly

Superior Inferior * Upper * Above something * Lower * Below something

Cranial Caudal * refers to the head of the body * means tail end 1 2 3 4 6 5

Internal External * inside the body * outside the body

Superficial Deep * close to the surface * many layers into the body

1 2 Which is Which? Frontal 3

Identify on your Partner * Area distal to knee * Inferior to heart * Superior to lungs * Area proximal to elbow * Lateral to big toe * Medial to shoulder * Anterior side of the body * Posterior side of body

Body Cavities * openings within the torso which contain organs, protect organs and allow expansion and contraction

C A V I T I E S B O D Y

* Dorsal Cavity: brain and spinal cord - Cranial Cavity: skull bones - Spinal Cavity: vertebrae * Ventral Cavity: chest and abdomen - Thoracic Cavity: superior to diaphragm a. pleural: surround lungs b. mediastinum: divide the lungs c. pericardial: surround heart - Abdominopelvic Cavity: inferior to diaphragm a. Abdominal: spleen, liver, gallbladder, stomach, int, pancreas b. Pelvic: bladder, cecum, appendix, colon, rectum, reproductive organs

Abdominal Quadrants * RUQ * LUQ * RLQ * LLQ What does these stand for? Belly button is the point of reference What does these stand for?

Abdominal Regions * Epigastric * Umbilical * Hypogastric * Hypochondriac * Lumbar/ Lateral * Iliac/ Inguinal more precise method of division

And you thought anatomy was boring!!