Surface Anatomy - pdf
Surface Anatomy Terms
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Our mission is to pursue and support with courage, conviction and open minds all viable treatments and lifestyle options that would improve the lives of those with chronic conditions.
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Regions as viewed from the front of the human body.
Regions as viewed from the back of the human body.
Anterior surface of the forearm
Posterior surface of the forearm
Posterior surface of the thigh
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Front
Anterior surface of the arm – The upper limb
( arm ) between the shoulder and the elbow.
Anterior means front. ( Front of upper arm .)
Anterior surface of the forearm – The forearm lies between the elbow and the wrist.
Anterior surface of the knee – Front surface of the knee.
Anterior surface of the leg – Leg refers to the region between the knee and the ankle. ( The term lower limb is used for the whole limb )
Anterior surface of the thigh – The front part of the body that lies between the hip and the knee.
Axilla - The pyramid shaped part of the human body between the upper arm and the side of the thorax ( The chest area, which runs between the abdomen and neck and is encased in the ribs ).
This area reaches up to the level of the clavicle, top of the scapula ( shoulder blade ) and first rib, floored by the skin of the armpit.
Cubital fossa – A triangular area anterior ( in front of ) to the elbow. Bounded above by a line between the bony epicondyles of the humerus on each side, and framed below by the pronator tens and brachoradials muscles ( muscle that is found in the forearm ).
Dorsum of foot – The upper surface of the foot.
Epigastric region – Abdominal wall area above
the transpylonic plane , and framed by the
diverging margins of the rib cage.
Hypochondrial region – Abdominal region under the ribs on each side of the human body.
Iliac region – Also referred to as the iliac fossa.
The area below the Intertubercular line and
lateral ( to the side of
Inguinal region – Groin area where the thigh meets the trunk.
Intertubercular plane – Passes through the iliac tubercles ( bony landmarks on the pelvis ) and lies at the level of the fifth [5 th
] lumber vertebra.
Midclavicular line - A vertical line which runs down from the midpoint of each clavicle
( collarbone ). The clavicle is a doubly curved short bone that connects the arm ( upper limb ) to the body ( trunk ), located directly above the first [1 st
] rib.
Palmer surface of the hand – Anterior ( front ) surface of the hands.
Pectoral region – The chest. Sometimes used to denote just the upper chest where the pectoral muscles lie.
Transpyloric plane – The horizontal plane joining the tips of ninth [9 th
] costal cartilages ( strips of cartilage associated with the rib bones. They attach some of the ribs to the sternum ) at the margins of the rib cage. Also level with the first lumbar vertebrae ( There are five lumbar vertebrae located in the lower back ) and the pylorus of the stomach ( The ring of muscle that controls the passage of material from the stomach into the small intestine ).
Suprapubic region – The part of the abdomen which lies just above the pubic bones ( one of the bones that make up the pelvis) of the pelvis ( ringlike structure of bones at the lower end of the trunk ).
Umbilical region – The central region of the abdomen around the umbilicus ( navel )
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Back
Calf – The fleshy back of the leg.
Dorsum of the hand – Back of the hand.
Gluteal region – The buttocks. Extends from the
iliac crest to the gluteal fold (
the furrow between the buttock and thigh )
Lumbar region – The region between the thorax
( The chest area, which runs between the abdomen and neck ) and the pelvis ( ring-like structure of bones at the lower end of the trunk .).
The term comes from the Latin for “loin”.
Occipital region – The back of the head.
Popliteal fossa – Diamond shaped area ( cavity ) at the back of the knee between the diverging hamstring muscles and above the converging calf
muscles.
Posterior surface of the arm - The upper limb
( arm ) between the shoulder and the elbow.
Posterior means back. ( back of upper arm .)
Posterior surface of the forearm - The forearm lies between the elbow and the wrist.
Posterior surface of the thigh - The back part of the body that lies between the hip and the knee.
Relative terms
Anatomical terms define parts of the human body; however it also precisely describes the relative positions of various structures of the human body when it is in the “anatomical position” ( standing erect).
The term Medial ( towards the middle or centre ) and Lateral ( towards the side of ) indicates the position of structures towards the midline or towards the side of the human body respectively.
The term Superior ( top ) and Inferior ( bottom ) refers to the vertical position of structures of the human body.
The terms Proximal ( Situated nearest to point of attachment or origin ) and Distal ( situated farthest from point of attachment or origin ) describe a relative position towards the centre or the peripheral of the body. In other words near too or away from.
The information contained on these pages, is of a general nature. The information should not be relied upon or used without first confirming the accuracy thereof. The content of these pages do not represent a qualified medical opinion. copyright©PBBranch2012 all rights reserved. Page | 3
