Download Medical Terminology

Medical
Terminology
Terms Pertaining to the Body
as a Whole
Structure of the Body
 Cell – fundamental unit of all
living things
 Different types of cells include
muscle cells, epithelial cells
(skin), nerve cells, fat cells.
 Cells are specialized
throughout the body to carry
out their individual functions
Tissue
 A group of similar cells
working together to do a
specific job
 Histologist – a scientist who
specializes in the study of
tissue
 Some types are: epithelial,
muscle, connective and
nerve tissue
Organs
 Structures composed of several kinds of
tissue
 The medical term for internal organs is
visceral
Body Systems
 Groups of organs
working together to
perform complex
functions
 The Digestive System
consists of mouth,
esophagus, stomach,
small and large
intestines, pancreas,
liver and gall bladder
Body Cavities
 Cavity – a space within the body that
contains internal organs (viscera)
 Ventral (front) cavities:
(thoracic, abdominal, pelvic)
 Dorsal (back) cavities:
(cranial, spinal)
The Diaphragm
 The diaphragm is a muscular wall that
separates the abdominal and thoracic
cavities.
Pleura
 The pleural cavity is the space between
the membranes that surround each lung.
Each pleural cavity is lined with a double
folded membrane or pleura.
Mediastinum
 The centrally located area outside of and
between the lungs. It contains the heart,
aorta, trachea, esophagus, thymus gland,
bronchial tubes, and lymph nodes
Abdominopelvic Regions
Abdominal Quadrants
RUQ:
Right lobe of Liver,
Gallbladder,
pancreas, parts of
small and large
intestines
RLQ:
Part of small and
large intestines,
right ovary, right
fallopian tube,
appendix,
right ureter
LUQ:
Left lobe of Liver,
stomach, spleen,
pancreas, parts
of small and
large intestines
LLQ:
Part of small
and large
intestines, left
ovary, left
fallopian tube,
left ureter
Spinal Column
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Vertebra (vertebrae plural) – back bones
Spinal Column consists of 5 divisions
Cervical – neck region (7)
Thoracic – chest region (12)
Lumbar – flank region (5)
Sacral – 5 bones fused to form sacrum
Coccygeal – 4 bones fused to form
coccyx or tailbone
Spinal Column
Planes of the Body
 Frontal
(Coronal) –
divides body
into anterior and
posterior
Planes of the Body
 Sagittal
(Lateral) –
divides body
into left and
right
Planes of the Body
 Transverse or
Cross sectional
– divides body
into upper and
lower portions
Positional and Directional
Terms
 Medical term for “lying on the back
 Supine
 Medical Term for “lying on the belly”
 Prone
Positional and Directional
Terms
 Medical term for above another structure
 Superior
 Medical term for below another structure
 Inferior
Positional and Directional
Terms
 Medical term for on the
surface
 Superficial
 Medical term for away from
the surface
 Deep
Positional and Directional
Terms
 Medical term for pertaining to the side
 Lateral
 Medical term for pertaining to the middle
 Medial
Positional and Directional
Terms
 Pertaining to the front side of the body
 Anterior or ventral
 Pertaining to the back side of the body
 Posterior or dorsal
Positional and Directional
Terms
 Medical term for near the beginning of a
structure or point of attachment
 Proximal
 Medical term for far from the beginning of
a structure or point of attachment
 Distal