Anatomical
Position,
Directions,
Regions,
Planes,
Cavities, &
Quadrants
Language of Anatomy
 Special
terminology is used to prevent
misunderstanding
 Exact terminology is used for:




Position
Direction
Regions
Structures
Anatomical Position
 Standing
erect, with
palms and feet facing
forward
 Is the standard
reference point in which
all positions,
movements, and planes
are described
Positions & Directions
 Terms
of position
and direction
describe the
position of one
body part relative
to another, usually
along one of the
three major body
planes
Superior
Inferior
 Refers
 Refers
to a
structure being
closer to the
head or higher
than another
structure in the
body
to a
structure being
closer to the
feet or lower
than another
structure in the
body
Anterior
 Refers
Posterior
to a
structure being
more in front
than another
structure in the
body
 Refers
to a
structure being
more in back
than another
structure in the
body
Medial
 Refers
to a
structure being
closer to the
midline or
median plane
of the body
than another
structure of the
body
Lateral
 Refers
to a
structure being
farther away
from the
midline than
another
structure of the
body
Distal
(Reference to the
extremities only)
 Refers to a structure
being further away
from the root of the
limb than another
structure in the limb

Proximal
(Reference to the
extremities only)
 Refers to a structure
being closer to the
root of the limb than
another structure in
that limb

Superficial
 Refers
to a
structure
being closer
to the surface
of the body
than another
structure
Deep
 Refers
to a
structure being
closer to the core
of the body than
another structure
Dorsal
 Towards
back
Ventral
 Towards
the
front or belly
the
Supine
Prone
 Lying

face down
Like a Pro Baseball
player sliding into
Home.
 Lying

face up
Lying on your
spine and you
can have soup
poured into
your mouth.
Unilateral
 Pertaining
to one
side of the body
Bilateral
 Pertaining
to both
sides of the body
Anterior Body Landmarks
 Abdominal

Anterior body trunk
inferior to ribs
 Acromial

Point of shoulder
 Antebrachial

Forearm
 Antecubital

Anterior surface of
elbow
 Axillary

Armpit
 Brachial

Arm
 Buccal

Cheek
 Carpal

Wrist
 Cervical

Neck
 Coxal

Hip
Anterior Body Landmarks
 Crural

Leg
 Deltoid

Curve of shoulder
 Digital

Fingers, toes
 Femoral

Thigh
 Fibular

Lateral part of leg
 Frontal

Forehead
 Inguinal

Groin
 Mental

Chin
 Nasal

Nose area
 Oral

Mouth
 Orbital

Eye area
 Patellar

Anterior knee
Anterior Body Landmarks
 Pelvic

Area overlying the
pelvis anteriorly
 Pubic

Genital region
 Sternal

Breastbone area
 Tarsal

Ankle region
 Thoracic

Chest
 Umbilical

Navel
Anatomical Regions: Anterior
Posterior Body Landmarks
 Calcaneal

Heel of the foot
 Cephalic

Head
 Gluteal

 Lumbar

 Femoral

Thigh
Buttock
Area of back
between ribs and
hip (loin)
 Occipital

Posterior surface of
head/base of skull
Posterior Body Landmarks
 Olecranal

Posterior surface of
elbow
 Popliteal

Posterior knee
area
 Sacral

Area between hips
 Scapular

Shoulder blade
region
 Sural

Posterior surface of
leg (calf)
 Vertebral

Area of spinal
column
Anatomical Regions: Posterior
Inferior Body Landmark
 Plantar

Sole of foot
Anatomical Planes
 Fixed
lines of
reference
along which
the body is
often divided
or sectioned to
facilitate
viewing of its
structures
 Allow
one to
obtain a threedimensional
perspective by
studying the
body from
different views
Sagittal Plane
 The plane dividing the body
into right and left portions
 Midsagittal or median are
names for the plane dividing
the body into equal right
and left halves
Frontal/Coronal Plane
 The
plane dividing the body
into front and back portions
Transverse/ Horizontal Plane (aka: cross section)
 The
horizontal plane dividing the
body into upper and lower portions
Body Cavities
Dorsal Body Cavity
 Two

subdivisions:
Cranial cavity
 Houses

brain
Spinal cavity
 Houses
spinal cord
Ventral Body Cavity


Larger than dorsal cavity
Thoracic cavity




Contains lungs & heart
Separated from rest of
ventral cavity by diaphragm
Further separated into right
and left by mediastinum
Abdominopelvic cavity

Abdominal cavity


Contains stomach, liver, intestines
Pelvic cavity

Contains reproductive organs, bladder, rectum
Quadrants
Abdominopelvic Quadrants
Regions
Regions
 Umbilical

Centermost region, deep to and surrounding the
umbilicus (navel)
 Epigastric

region
region
Superior to the umbilical region
 Hypogastric

Inferior to the umbilical region
 Right

& Left Lumbar regions
Lateral to the umbilical region
 Right

& Left Iliac/Inguinal regions
Lateral to the hypogastric region
 Right

region
& Left Hypochondriac regions
Lateral to the epigastric region (contain lower ribs)