Download Superior/inferior (above/below): these terms

Anatomical Terms of Location
All anatomical terms refer to the position of the body when it is in anatomical position. It is important to keep this in mind to
ensure consistency of description.
Anatomical position: Standing, feet together, arms to the side, palms facing forward, head and eyes facing forward.
Anterior: In front of
Example: The liver is anterior to the kidneys.
Posterior: In back of
Example: The kidneys are posterior to the liver.
Dorsal: Pertaining to the back.
Example: The knuckles are located dorsally on the hand.
Ventral: Pertaining to the front.
Example: The palm is located ventrally on the hand.
Lateral: Away from the midline of the body.
Example: The arms are lateral to the trunk.
Medial: Toward the midline of the body
Example: The trunk is medial to the arms.
Proximal: Near to the point of origin or attachment.
Example: Of the elbow and wrist, the elbow is the more proximal to the shoulder.
Distal: Away from the point of origin or attachment.
Example: Of the elbow and wrist, the wrist is the more distal to the shoulder.
Superior: Above
Example: The eyes are superior to the mouth.
Inferior: Below
Example: The mouth is inferior to the eyes.
Ipsilateral: On the same side.
Example: The right arm is ipsilateral to the right leg.
Contralateral: On the opposite side.
Example: The left arm is contralateral to the right leg.
Superficial: Close to the surface, or in relation to something.
Example: The skin is superficial to muscle.
Deep: Not close to the surface, or in relation to something.
Example: The muscle is superficial to the skin.
ANATOMICAL TERMS
When anatomists or doctors discuss the human body, they refer to specific areas in
accordance with a universally accepted standard position called the Anatomical position. It is
essential to understand this position, because much of the body terminology employed in this
course refers to this body positioning, regardless of the position the body happens to be in. The
anatomical position in humans is standing erect, facing forward, arms at sides and palms
forward. Quadrupedal (four footed) organisms have a slightly different position, which is
standing erect, facing forward, and all four feet on the ground. This difference in positions
results in different connotations for a four-legged animal compared to a human.
Study the terms below, referring to figure one and to the figure on page 4 of your lab book.
The following terms are dependent on an assumption of anatomical position.
Superior/inferior (above/below): these terms refer to placement of a body structure along the
long axis of the body. Superior structures always appear above other structures. For
example, the nose is superior to the mouth, and the abdomen is inferior to the chest
region.
Anterior/posterior (front/back): In humans the most anterior structures are those that are most
forward, the face, chest and abdomen. Posterior structures or surfaces are those toward
the backside of the body. For instance, the spine is posterior to the heart
Medial/lateral (towards the midline/away from the midline): The ear is lateral to the bridge of the
nose; the sternum (breastbone) is medial to the ribs.
The next four terms are more absolute. That is their applicability is not relative to a particular
body position, and they consistently have the same meaning in all vertebrate animals.
Cephalad/caudal (towards the head/away from the head): In humans these terms are used
interchangeably with superior and inferior. But in four-legged animals they are
synonymous with anterior and posterior respectively.
Dorsal/ventral (backside/belly side): these terms are used chiefly in discussing the comparative
anatomy of animals, assuming the animal is standing. Dorsum is Latin meaning "back",
thus dorsal refers to the backside of the animal's body or of any other structure. For
instance, the posterior surface of the leg is its dorsal surface. The term ventral derives
from the Latin term venter, meaning "belly", and thus refers to the belly side of animals.
In humans the term ventral and dorsal may be used interchangeably with the terms
anterior and posterior, but in four-legged animals ventral and dorsal are synonymous
with inferior and superior respectively.
Proximal/distal (nearer the trunk or attached end/farther from the trunk or point of attachment):
These terms are used primarily to locate various areas of the body limbs. For example,
the fingers are distal to the elbow; the knee is proximal to the toes.
Superficial/deep (towards or at the body surface/away from the body surface or more internal):
these terms locate body organs according to their relative closeness to the body surface.
For example, the lungs are deep to the rib cage, and the skin is superficial to the skeletal
muscles.
Central/peripheral (principle part/extensions from the principle part or to the side of principle
part):
Parietal/visceral (wall of a cavitylorgans -within a cavity): These terms refers to organs within a
body cavity.
Before continuing, use a human torso model, a skeleton or your own body to specify the
relationship between the following structures. Use the correct anatomical terminology.
The wrist is _________________________ to the hand, but ______________________ to the
shoulder.
The trachea (windpipe) is _______________ to the spine
The brain is _________________________ to the spinal cord
The kidneys are ______________________ to the liver
The tip of the nose is __________________ to the cheekbones.
BODY PLANES AND SECTIONS
The body is three-dimensional and, in order to observe its internal structures, it is often helpful
and necessary to make use of a section, or cut. When the section is made through the body wall or
through an organ, it is made along an imaginary surface or line called a plane.
Anatomists commonly refer to three planes or sections, which lie at right angles to one another.
Sagittal plane: A plane that runs longitudinally, dividing the body into right and left parts, is referred to
as a sagittal plane. If it divides the body into equal parts, right down the median plane of the body, it is
called a midsagittal, or median, plane. All other planes are referred to as parasagittal planes.
Frontal plane: Sometimes called a coronal plane, the frontal plane is a longitudinal plane that divides the
body (or an organ) into anterior and posterior parts.
Transverse plane: A transverse plane runs horizontally, dividing the body into superior and inferior parts.
When organs are sectioned along the transverse plane, the sections are commonly called cross sections