Download Body Planes and Anatomical Terms

Human
Anatom
y
What is anatomy?
Anatomy is the study of structures
or body parts and their
relationships to one another.
Anatomy:
Gross anatomy –
macroscopic
Histology –
microscopic
Anatomical Position: body is erect,
feet together, palms face forward
and the thumbs point away from
the body.
Body Positions
Prone Position – laying face
downwards
Supine Position – laying face
upwards
Trendelenburg Position- patient’s
head is lower than the feet
Fowler’s Position – patient is sitting
in bed with the head of the bed
elevated 45 to 60 degrees
Levels of Structural Organization
Body Planes
1.
Sagittal – divides the
body into right and
left parts
i) Parasagittal –
divides body into unequal
left and right sections
ii) Midsagittal or
Medial – divides the body
into equal left and right
sections
Body Planes
2. Frontal or
Coronal – divides
the body into
anterior (front)
and posterior
(back) parts
Body Planes
3. Transverse or
horizontal Horizontal plane
that divides the
body into upper
and lower
portions; also
called crosssection.
Body Planes
4. Oblique
Section – cuts
made
diagonally
Directional Terms
Superior vs. Inferior
Superior means the
part that is above or
closer to the head
(cranial)
Inferior means the
part that is below
another or towards
the feet (caudal)
Directional Terms
Anterior vs. Posterior
Anterior means
towards the front
(ventral)
Posterior means
towards the back
(dorsal)
Directional Terms
Medial vs. Lateral vs.
Intermediate
Medial towards or at the midline
of the body; on the inner side of
Lateral away from the midline of
the body; on the outer side of
Intermediate between a more
medial and a more lateral
structure
Directional Terms
Ipsilateral vs. Contralateral
Ipsilateral – the same side
Contralateral – refers to the
opposite side
Directional Terms
Proximal vs. Distal
Proximal – closer to the
origin of the body part or
the point of attachment
of a limb to the body
trunk.
Distal – farther from the
origin of body part of the
point of attachment of a
limp to the body trunk.
Directional Terms
Superficial (external)
vs. Deep (internal)
Superficial – toward
or at the body surface
Deep – away from the
body surface; more
internal
Regional Terms
Axial part – includes the head,
neck and trunk.
Appendicular part – includes the
limbs which are attached to the
body’s axis
Body Cavities
These are hollow spaces within
the human body that contain
internal organs.
There are two main cavities:
1) The Dorsal Cavity
- Located toward the back of the
body
- Is divided into the cranial cavity
(holds the brain) and the
vertebral or spinal cavity (which
holds the spinal cord)
2) The Ventral Cavity
- Located toward the front of the
body
- Is divided into abdominopelvic
cavity and the thoracic cavity
2) The Ventral Cavity
- The abdominopelvic cavity is
subdivided into abdominal cavity
(liver, gallbladder, stomach,
pancreas, spleen, kidney, small
and large intestines) and the
pelvic cavity (urinary bladder and
reproductive organs)
2) The Ventral Cavity
- The thoracic cavity is
subdivided into the pleural
cavity (holds the lungs) and the
pericardial cavity (holds the
heart)