Body Planes, Directions, and Cavities JAMES VALLEY VOCATIONAL TECHNICAL CENTER
Body Planes, Directions, and Cavities
JAMES VALLEY VOCATIONAL TECHNICAL CENTER
Objectives
• Label a diagram of the three planes of the body with the names of the planes and the directional terms created by these planes
• Label a diagram of the main body cavities
Objectives Cont….
• Identify the main organs located in each body cavity
• Locate the four quadrants and the nine abdominal regions
• Define, pronounce, and spell all of the key terms
Body Planes:
• Definition = imaginary lines drawn through the body to separate the body into sections
Transverse Plane:
Horizontal plane dividing the body into a top and bottom half
1. Superior = body parts above other parts
2. Inferior = body parts below other parts
3. Cranial = body parts near the head
4. Caudal = body parts located near the sacral region of the spinal column (or near the tail bone)
Median Plane:
Divides the body into right and left sides
1. Medial = body parts located near the middle or midline of the body
2. Lateral = body parts located away from the midline or middle of the body
Frontal Plane:
Divides the body into front and back section.
1. Anterior = body parts on the front of the body
2. Posterior = body parts on the back of the body
• Proximal = body parts close to the point of reference
• Distal = body parts away from the point of reference
Body Cavities:
Spaces within the body which contain vital organs
Posterior Cavity:
One long continuous cavity that is located on the back of the body, divided into two sections
1. Cranial Cavity = contains the brain
2. Spinal Cavity = contains the spinal cord
Anterior Cavities:
Larger and separated into two distinct cavities by a dome-shaped muscle called the diaphragm, which is important for breathing
1. Thoracic Cavity = located in the chest, contains the heart, lungs, and the large blood vessels
2. Abdominal Cavity = divided into upper and lower parts
Upper part contains the stomach, small intestines, most of the large intestines, liver, gallbladder, pancreas and spleen
3. Pelvic Cavity = lower abdominal cavity containing urinary bladder, the reproductive organs, and last part of the large intestines
Abdominal Regions:
Quadrants
1. Right Upper Quadrant
(RUQ)
2. Left Upper Quadrant (LUQ)
3. Right Lower Quadrant
(RLQ)
4. Left Lower Quadrant (LLQ)
Abdominal Regions:
• Epigastric
• Umbilical
• Pelvic
• Hypochondriac
• Lateral
• Inguinal
