1. THE LANGUAGE OF ANATOMY
1. Visible describe or demonstrate anatomical position
2. Use proper anatomical terminology to describe body directions, surfaces, and body planes.
3. Locate the major body cavities, list the chief organs in each cavity

2. ANATOMICAL POSITION An initial reference point The body is erect
Feet parallel
Arms hanging at sides
Palms facing forward
Uncomfortable

3. Directional Terms
Allow medical personnel and anatomist to explain exactly where one body structure is in relation to another.
Describe the location of the ears in relation to the nose
The ears are to the right and left of the nose
The ears are lateral to the nose

4. Directional Terms Superior/ Inferior Term Definition Example
Superior (cranial or cephalad)
Toward the head end or upper part of the body; above
The forehead is superior to the nose
Inferior (caudal)
Away from the head end or toward the lower part of a structure of the body: below
The naval is inferior to the breastbone

5. Directional Terms Ventral (anterior)/ Dorsal (posterior) Term
Definition
Example
Ventral (anterior)
Toward or at the front of the body; in front of
The breastbone (sternum) is anterior to the spine
Dorsal
(posterior)
Toward or at the backside of the body; behind
The heart is posterior to the breast bone

6. Directional Terms Medial/ Lateral Term Definition Example Medial
Toward or at the midline of the body; on the inner side of
The heart is medial to the arm
Lateral
Away from the midline of the body; on the outer side of
The arms are lateral to the chest
Intermediate
Between a more medial and a more lateral structure
The collarbone is intermediate between the breastbone and the shoulder

7. Directional Terms Proximal/ Distal Term Definition Example Proximal
Close to the origin of the body part or the point of attachment of a limb to the body trunk
The elbow is proximal to the wrist (meaning that the elbow is closer to the shoulder or attachment point of the arm than the wrist)
Distal
Farther from the origin of a body part or the point of attachment of a limb to the body trunk
The knee is distal to the thigh

8. Superficial (external)/
Directional Terms
Superficial (external)/
Deep (internal)
Term
Definition
Example
Superficial (external)
Toward or at the body surface
The skin is superficial to the skeleton
Deep
(internal)
Away from the body surface; more internal
The lungs are deep to the rib cage

9. Anterior Body Landmarks
REGIONAL TERMS
Femoral: thigh
Fibular: lateral part of the leg
Frontal: forehead
Inguinal: area where thigh meets body trunk; groin
Mental: chin
Nasal: nose area
Oral: mouth
Orbital: eye area
Patellar: anterior knee
Pelvic: area overlying the pelvis anteriorly
Pubic: genital region
Sternal: breast bone area
Tarsal: ankle region
Thoracic: chest
Umbilical: naval
Anterior Body Landmarks
Abdominal/ Umbilical: anterior body trunk inferior to the ribs
Acromial: point of the shoulder
Antebrachial: forearm
Antecubital: anterior surface
Axillary: armpit
Brachial: arm (upper)
Buccal: cheek
Carpal: wrist
Cervical: neck region
Coxal: hip
Crural: leg
Deltoid: curve of the shoulder formed by the deltoid muscle
Digital: fingers, toes

10. Posterior Body Landmarks
REGIONAL TERMS
Posterior Body Landmarks
Calcaneal: heel of foot
Cephalic: head
Femoral: thigh
Gluteal: buttock
Lumbar: area of back between the ribs and hips; the loin
Occipital: Posterior surface of the head or base of the skull
Olecranal: posterior surface of the elbow
Plantar: sole of the foot
Popliteal: posterior knee area
Sacral: area between the hips
Scapular: shoulder blade region
Sural: the posterior surface of the leg: the calf
Vertebral: area of spinal column

11. REGIONAL TERMS

12. BODY PLANES AND SECTIONS
A plane is an imaginary line on the body.
Sections
Sagittal – a cut a long the lengthwise or longitudinal, dividing the body into right and left parts (parasagittal)
Median, or Midsagittal – a cut down the median of the body that spits the body into equal right and left halves
Frontal/ Coronal – a cut along a lengthwise plane that divides the body or organ into anterior or posterior parts
Transverse / Cross– a cut along a horizontal plane, dividing the body into superior and inferior parts

13. BODY CAVITIES Dorsal Ventral Has 2 subdivisions Has 2 subdivisions
Cranial cavity - brain
Spinal cavity - spine
Has 2 subdivisions
Separated by the diphragm
Thoracic cavity
lungs & heart
protected by the rib cage
Lungs are separated by the mediastinum
Heart , trachea, visceral organs
Abdominopelvic cavity
Abdominal cavity
Stomach
Liver
Intestines
Pelvic cavity
Reproductive organs
Bladder
Rectum

14. ABDOMINOPOELVIC CAVITY
QUADRANTS
The abdominopelvic cavity is divided into 4 quadrants
RUQ – right upper quadrant
RLQ – right lower quadrant
LUQ – left upper quadrant
LLQ – left lower quadrant

15. 9 ABDOMINOPELVIC REGIONS
UMBILICAL
Centermost region, deep to and surrounding the umbilicus (navel)
EPIGASTRIC
Superior to the umbilical region
HYPOGASTRIC (PUBIC)
Inferior to the umbilical region
RT. & LT. ILIAC or INGUINAL
Lateral to the hypogastric region
RT. & LT. LUMBER
Lateral to the umbilical region
RT. & LT. HYPOCHONDRIAC
Flank the epigastric region and contain the lower ribs
Right hypochondriac
Region
Right hypochondriac
Region
Epigastric
Region
Left
lumbar
Region
Right lumbar
Region
Umbilical
Region
Right Iliac
(inguinal)
Region
Left Iliac
(inguinal)
Region
Hypogastric
Region

16. 9 ABDOMINOPELVIC REGIONS

17. Other Body Cavities Oral & Digestive cavities Nasal Cavity
Mouth
Digestive Organs
Continuous tube from mouth to anus
Nasal Cavity
Within and posterior to the nose
Orbital Cavity
Orbits in the skull that houses the eyes and presents them in an anterior position
Middle Ear Cavity
Contain tiny bones that transmit sound vibrations to hearing receptors in the middle ear.