1. Body Cavities and Directional Terms

2. Anatomical Position
Body is standing, arms at side, palms facing forward, head and feet forward
This is the position the body is in when using directional terminology
Ipsilateral: on the same side
Contralateral: on the opposite side

3. Body Cavities The body is not solid
Contains 2 major cavities which are then subdivided
Ventral Cavity: includes the thoracic (or chest) cavity and the abdominopelvic cavity
Dorsal Cavity: includes cranial and spinal cavities

4. Thoracic Cavity
Thoracic Cavity: contains a RIGHT and LEFT PLEURAL cavity; midpoint is the MEDIASTINUM
Organs in the mediastinum: heart, trachea, right and left bronchi, esophagus, thymus, blood vessels, parts of the lymph system, and nerves
Organs in the pleural cavity: right and left lungs

5. Abdominopelvic Cavity
Has upper portion (Abdominal cavity) and lower portion (pelvic cavity)
Abdominal Cavity contains: liver, gall bladder, stomach, pancreas, intestines, spleen, kidneys, ureters
Pelvic Cavity contains: bladders, certain reproductive organs, colon, rectum
In females: uterus, uterine tubes, ovaries
In males: prostate gland, seminal vesicle, vas deferens

6. Dorsal Cavity Cranial cavity lies in the skull and houses the brain
Spinal Cavity lies in spinal column and houses the spinal cord

7. Important Terms
Parietal: actual wall of the body cavity or the membrane that lines its surface
Visceral: not the wall or lining of the body cavity but the membranes that cover the organs, or viscera, within the cavity

8. Body Regions
Body can be divided into two major portions: axial and appendicular
Axial includes: head, neck, torso and trunk
Appendicular includes: upper and lower extremities and their connections (pelvic and pectoral girdles)
Each of these are divided into regions

9. Body Region Terminology
Diagram and Table for Terminology***

10. Abdominal Region Divided into 9 regions to help locate organs
Right Hypochondriac: right lobe of liver and gall bladder
Epigastric: part of right and left liver lobes, portion of stomach
Left Hypochondriac: small portion of stomach and large intestines
Right Lumbar: portions of large and small intestines

11. Abdominal Region
Umbilical: transverse colon, loops of small intestines
Left Lumbar: small intestine, portion of colon
Right Iliac: cecum, parts of small intestines
Hypogastric: small intestines, urinary bladder, appendix
Left Iliac: portions of small intestines, colon

12. Abdominopelvic Quadrants
Helps to describe the site of abdominal pain or locate pathology
Horizontal and vertical line passing through the umbilicus (navel) divides into
Right Upper Quadrant
Left Upper Quadrant
Right Lower Quadrant
Left Lower Quadrant

13. Directional Terms Superior: toward the head; upper/above
Inferior: toward the feet; lower/below
Anterior: front; in front of
Posterior: back; in back of
Medial: Toward the midline of the body
Lateral: toward the side; away from the midline
Proximal: toward or nearest to the trunk
Distal: away from the trunk
Superficial: near the surface
Deep: farther from the body surface

14. Organ Terms Lumen: the hollow portion of an organ
Central: near the center
Peripheral: near the boundary or edge
Medullary: inner region of an organ
Cortical: outer region or layer of an organ
Basal: widest point of an organ
Apical: narrowest tip of an organ

15. Body Planes and Sections
Sagittal Plane: lengthwise plane running from front to back; divides into left and right
Coronal Plane: lengthwise plane running from left to right; divides into front and back (also called frontal plane)
Transverse Plane: crosswise plane; divides into upper and lower quadrants (also called horizontal plane)

16. Body Types Somatype: used to describe body build or physique
ENDOMORPH: heavy, rounded physique characterized large accumulations of fat in trunk and thighs
MESOMORPH: muscular physique
ECTOMORPH: thin, fragile physique characterized by little body fat accumulation

17. Homeostasis Constant state maintained by the body
Maintaining a constant internal environment inside the body by the body systems
P.23 Figure 1-13