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Anatomical Terms
∗
Tonye A. Ogele
This work is produced by OpenStax-CNX and licensed under the
Creative Commons Attribution License 3.0†
Abstract
By the end of this section, you will know • anatomical position • anatomical planes • anatomical
terms of location • anatomical terms of movement • body regions • body cavities
1.1 ANATOMICAL POSITION
The anatomical position is the international standard position in which structures of the human body
are described. It refers the body position as if a person were standing erect with the lower limbs together or
slightly separated and feet at on the oor and directed anteriorly (forward), upper limbs by the sides with
the palms facing anteriorly (forward) and thumbs pointing away from the body, the head and eyes directed
anteriorly (forward) (gure 1).
Anatomical descriptions are based on the anatomical position unless otherwise stated.
∗ Version
1.1: Oct 18, 2013 8:25 am -0500
† http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
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Figure 1: Anatomical position (credit: modication of work by Donna Browne).
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1.2 ANATOMICAL PLANES
The anatomical planes are four imaginary at surfaces or planes that pass through the body in the
anatomical position.They are the median plane, sagittal planes, coronal (frontal) planes and horizontal
(transverse) planes (gure 2). Anatomical descriptions are also based on these planes.
Figure 2: Anatomical planes.
1.2.1 MEDIAN PLANE
The median plane is the vertical plane that passes through the body longitudinally, dividing it into
right and left halves. It is also dened as the sagittal plane that divides the body into right and left halves.
1.2.2 SAGITTAL PLANES
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The sagittal planes are vertical planes passing through the body, parallel to the median plane. They
divide the body into right and left parts.
1.2.3 CORONAL (FRONTAL) PLANES
The coronal planes, also called the frontal planes, are planes passing through the body, dividing it
into anterior (front) and posterior (back) portions. These planes are at right angles (90 ◦ ) to the median and
sagittal planes.
1.2.4 HORIZONTAL (TRANSVERSE) PLANES
The horizontal planes, also called the transverse planes, are planes passing through the body,
dividing it into superior (upper) and inferior (lower) parts. These planes are at right angles (90 ◦ ) to the
median, sagittal and coronal planes.
1.3 TERMS OF LOCATION
1.3.1 MEDIAL is used to indicate that a structure is near or nearer to the median plane of the body
e.g. the eyes are medial to the external ears.
1.3.2 LATERAL is used to indicate that a structure is farther away from the median plane e.g. the
external ears are lateral to the eyes.
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Figure 3: Some terms of location.
1.3.3
1.3.4
1.3.5
1.3.6
1.3.7
POSTERIOR (or DORSAL) refers to the back surface of the body or nearer to the back.
ANTERIOR (or VENTRAL) refers to the front surface of the body or nearer to the front.
INFERIOR (or CAUDAL) refers to a structure that is situated nearer the soles of the feet.
SUPERIOR (or CRANIAL) refers to a structure that is nearer the topmost point of the skull.
PROXIMAL means closer to the point of attachment or origin e.g. the knee is proximal to the
foot. This is because the knee is closer to the point of attachment of the lower limb (i.e. the hip).
1.3.8 DISTAL means farther from the point of attachment or origin e.g. the foot is distal to the knee.
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1.3.9 EXTERNAL (or SUPERFICIAL) means close to the surface of the body or farther from the
centre of the body, an organ or cavity, e.g. the skin is supercial to the bones.
1.3.10 INTERNAL (or DEEP) means away from the surface or nearer to the centre of an organ or
cavity, e.g. the bones are deep to the skin
1.3.11 BILATERAL refers to paired structures on the right and left part of the body e.g. the eyes are
bilateral.
1.3.12 UNILATERAL refers to structures on only one side of the body e.g. the gall bladder is
unilateral.
1.3.13 IPSILATERAL refers to structures occurring on the same side of the body e.g. the right thumb
is ipsilateral to the right toe.
1.3.14 CONTRALATERAL refers to structures occurring on the opposite sides of the body e.g. the
stomach is contralateral to the liver.
1.4 TERMS OF MOVEMENT
1.4.1 FLEXION refers to bending or decreasing the angle between the bones or parts of the body e.g.
bending the upper limb anteriorly (forward) at the elbow or bending of the lower limb posteriorly (backward)
at the knee.
1.4.2 EXTENSION refers to straightening or increasing the angle between the bones or parts of the
body.
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Figure 4: Flexion and extension.
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1.4.3 DORSIFLEXION refers to movement of the foot at the ankle joint as occurs when the toes are
raised o the ground with the heel on the ground.
1.4.4 PLANTAR FLEXION refers to movement of the foot at the ankle joint as occurs when one
stands on his toes.
Figure 5: Dorsiexion and plantar exion.
1.4.5 ABDUCTION refers to movement of a part of the body away from the median plane. This
usually takes place in the coronal plane e.g. moving an upper limb away from the side of the body. In
abduction of the digits, the term refers to spreading them apart.
1.4.6 ADDUCTION refers to movement of a part of the body towards the median plane. This usually
takes place in the coronal plane e.g. moving an upper limb towards toward the side of the body. In adduction
of the digits, the term refers to moving them towards the median plane of the hand.
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Figure 6: Abduction and adduction, and circumduction.
1.4.7 CIRCUMDUCTION is a circular movement that combines exion, extension, abduction and
adduction such that the distal end of the part the body moves in a circle.
1.4.8 ROTATION is turning or revolving a part of the body around its longitudinal axis. Medial
rotation (internal rotation)moves the anterior surface of a limb towards the median plane while lateral
rotation (external rotation) moves the anterior surface away from the median plane.
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Figure 7: Rotation.
1.4.9 OPPOSITION is a movement that brings the pad of the thumb (rst digit) to the pad of another
digit.
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Figure 8: Opposition.
1.4.10 REPOSITION is a movement that from the position of opposition back to the anatomical
position.
1.4.11 PROTRUSION is a movement anteriorly as in protruding the mandible (sticking out the chin).
1.4.12 RETRUSION is a movement posteriorly as in retruding the mandible (tucking the chin in).
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Figure 9: Protrusion and retrusion.
1.4.13 PROTRACTION is the anterior movement of the shoulder.
1.4.14 RETRACTION is the posterior movement of the shoulder.
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Figure 10: Elevation and Depression.
1.4.15 ELEVATION is raising a part of the body or moving it superiorly as in shrugging the shoulder.
1.4.16 DEPRESSION is lowering a part of the body or moving it inferiorly as in depressing the
shoulder.
1.4.17 EVERSION is moving the sole of the foot away from the median plane i.e. turning it laterally.
1.4.18 INVERSION is moving the sole of the foot towards the median plane i.e. facing the sole
medially.
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Figure 11: Eversion and inversion.
1.4.19 PRONATION is the movement of the forearm and hand such that the palm of the hand faces
posteriorly and its dorsum faces anteriorly. The forearm is said to be prone when the palm is facing the
posterior or downwards. Prone also means lying face down (lying on the stomach).
1.4.20 SUPINATION is the movement of the forearm and hand such the dorsum of the hand faces
posteriorly and the palm faces anteriorly i.e. moving them to the anatomical position. The forearm is said
to be supine when the palms face the anterior or upwards. Supine also means lying face up (lying on the
back).
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Figure 12: Pronation and supination.
1.5 BODY REGIONS
The body is divided into two regions: the
exist within these major regions.
axial region
and the
appendicular regions.
Smaller regions
1.5.1 AXIAL REGION
The axial region consists of the head, neck and trunk. The trunk is divided into the thoracic region above
the diagram and the abdominal region below it.
1.5.2 APPENDICULAR REGION
The appendicular region of the body consists of the appendages also called the limbs or extremities.
There is therefore the upper limbs and lower limbs.
The upper limb includes the brachium (arm) which is between the shoulder and elbow, antebrachium
(forearm) which is between the elbow and the wrist, carpus (wrist), manus (hand) which is from the wrist
down and digits (ngers).
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The lower limb includes the thigh which is between the hip and the knee, crus (leg) which is between
knee and the ankle, tarsus (ankle), pes (foot) which is from the ankle down and digits (toes).
Note that in anatomical terms, arm refers to the part of the upper limb between the shoulder and
elbow, and leg refers to the part of the lower limb between the knee and ankle.
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Figure 13: Body regions.
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1.6 BODY CAVITIES
The human body has two major body cavities:
within these body cavities are called viscera.
dorsal body cavity
and
ventral body cavity.
The organs
1.6.1 DORSAL BODY CAVITY
The dorsal body cavity is divided into the cranial cavity and vertebral canal. The cranial cavity is
enclosed in the cranium and contains the brain and cerebrospinal uid. The vertebral canal (or vertebral
cavity)is enclosed by the vertebral column and contains the spinal cord and cerebrospinal uid.
1.6.2 VENTRAL BODY CAVITY
The ventral body cavity is divided by a muscular sheet called the diaphragm, into the superior thoracic
and the inferior abdominopelvic cavity.
The thoracic cavity is divided into the right pleural cavity, the left pleural cavity and the mediastinum. The right pleural cavity contains the right lung while the left pleural cavity contains the left
lung. The mediastinum is between the pleural cavities. It contains the trachea, esophagus, thymus, heart,
and vessels connected to the heart. The inferior half of the mediastinum houses the heart and is called the
pericardial cavity.
The abdominopelvic cavity consists of the abdominal cavity and the pelvic cavity. The abdominal
cavity contains most of the glands and organs of the digestive system, namely the liver, gallbladder, spleen,
pancreas, stomach, small intestine and the majority of the large intestine. It also contains the kidneys and
ureters. The pelvic cavity contains the distal part of the large intestine, the urinary bladder, urethra and
reproductive organs.
cavity
Figure 14: Body cavities.
PICTURE ATTRIBUTIONS
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Figure 1 Modication of work by Donna Browne (2013) Derived copy of introduction to anatomy module
Retrieved from the Connexions Website: http://cnx.org/content/m47529/latest/1
Figures 2 3 Browne, D. (2013) Derived copy of introduction to anatomy module 6: Anatomical Termi2
nology. Retrieved from the Connexions Website: http://cnx.org/content/m47529/latest/
Figure 4 8 Openstax College (2013) Types of body movements. Retrieved from the Connexions Website:
http://cnx.org/content/m46398/1.3/3
Figure 9 Modication of work by Openstax College (2013) Types of body movements. Retrieved from
the Connexions Website: http://cnx.org/content/m46398/1.3/4
Figure 10 12 Openstax College (2013) Types of body movements. Retrieved from the Connexions
Website: http://cnx.org/content/m46398/1.3/5
Figure 13 Modication of work by Browne D. (2013) Derived copy of introduction to anatomy module 6:
6
Anatomical Terminology. Retrieved from the Connexions Website: http://cnx.org/content/m47529/latest/
Figure 14 Donna Browne (2013) Derived copy of introduction to anatomy module 6: Anatomical Termi7
nology. Retrieved from the Connexions Website: http://cnx.org/content/m47529/latest/
6: Anatomical Terminology.
REFERENCES
Browne, D. (2013) Derived copy of introduction to anatomy module 6: Anatomical Terminology. Retrieved from the Connexions Website: http://cnx.org/content/m47529/latest/8
Marieb, E. N. & Hoehn, K. (2010) Human anatomy & physiology (8th ed.) San Francisco: Benjamin
Cummings.
Moore, K. L., Dalley, A. F., & Agur A. M. (2010) Clinically oriented anatomy (6th ed.) Philadelphia:
Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Openstax College (2013) Types of body movements. Retrieved from the Connexions Website: http://cnx.org/content/m463
Saladin, K. S. (2007) Anatomy and physiology: The unit of form and function. (4th ed.) New York:
McGraw-Hill.
Seeley, R. R., Stephens, T. D. & Tate, P. (2002) Essentials of anatomy and physiology (4th ed.) New
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Waugh, A. & Grant, A. (2006) Ross and Wilson anatomy and physiology in health and illness (10th ed.)
Philadelphia: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier.
1 "Derived copy of Introduction to Anatomy Module 6: Anatomical Terminology"
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2 "Derived copy of Introduction to Anatomy Module 6: Anatomical Terminology"
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3 "Types of Body Movements" <http://cnx.org/content/m46398/1.3/>
4 "Types of Body Movements" <http://cnx.org/content/m46398/1.3/>
5 "Types of Body Movements" <http://cnx.org/content/m46398/1.3/>
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7 "Derived copy of Introduction to Anatomy Module 6: Anatomical Terminology"
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8 "Derived copy of Introduction to Anatomy Module 6: Anatomical Terminology"
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9 "Types of Body Movements" <http://cnx.org/content/m46398/1.3/>
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