TERMINOLOGY AND GENERAL PLAN OF THE BODY
BODY REGIONS
The human body is divided into major regions that can be identified externally.
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Head - skull & face
Neck - supports the head & attaches it to the trunk
Trunk - chest, abdomen, pelvis
Upper limbs Lower limbs
DIRECTIONAL TERMS
Directional terms are used to describe human body based on th relative location it assumes in an
anatomic position
in
TERM
DEFINITION
EXAMPLE
SUPERIOR
above, or higher
The heart is superior to the liver.
INFERIOR
below, or lower
The liver is inferior to the lungs.
ANTERIOR
toward the front
The chest is on the anterior side of the body.
POSTERIOR
toward the back
The lumbar area is posterior to the umbilical
area.
VENTRAL
toward the front
The mammary area is on the ventral side of the
body.
DORSAL
toward the back
The buttocks are on the dorsal side of the body.
MEDIAL
toward the midline
The heart is medial to the lungs.
LATERAL
away from the midline
The shoulders are lateral to the neck.
INTERNAL
within, or interior to
The brain is internal to the skull.
EXTERNAL
outside, or exterior to
The ribs are external to the lungs.
SUPERFICIAL
toward the surface
The skin is the most superficial organ.
DEEP
within, or interior to
The deep veins of the legs are surrounded by
muscles.
CENTRAL
the main part
The brain is part of the central nervous system.
PERIPHERAL
extending from the main
part
Nerves in the arm are part of the peripheral
nervous system.
PROXIMAL
closer to the origin
The knee is proximal to the foot.
DISTAL
farther from the origin
The palm is distal to the elbow.
PARIETAL
pertaining to the wall of a
cavity
The parietal pleura lines the chest cavity.
VISCERAL
pertaining to the organs
within a cavity
The visceral pleura covers the lungs.
BODY PARTS
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ANTEBRACHIAL – forearm
ANTECUBITAL – front of elbow
AXILLARY – armpit
BRACHIAL – upper arm
BUCCAL – (oral) mouth
CARDIAC – heart
CERVICAL – neck
CRANIAL – head
CUTANEOUS – skin
DELTOID – shoulder
FEMORAL – thigh
FRONTAL – forehead
GASTRIC – stomach
GLUTEAL – buttocks
HEPATIC – liver
ILIAC – hip
INGUINAL –groin
LUMBAR – small of back
MAMMARY – breast
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NASAL –nose
OCCIPITAL – back of head
ORBITAL – eye
PARIETAL – crown of head
PATELLAR –kneecap
PECTORAL – chest
PEDAL – foot
PERINEAL – pelvic floor
PLANTAR – sole of foot
POPLITEAL – back of knee
PULMONARY – lungs
Renal – kidney
SACRAL – base of spine
SCAPULAR – shoulder blade
STERNAL – breastbone
TEMPORAL – side of head
UMBILICAL – navel
VOLAR – (palmar) palm
PLANES AND SECTIONS
In describing the internal anatomy, the body or an organ is cut or sectioned
by a plane to make particular structures easily visible. A plane is an imaginary flat
surface separating two portions of a body or organ.
PLANES
 Frontal (coronal) — separates body
into front & back
 Sagittal — separates body into
right & left
 Midsagittal — creates equal right &
left halves
SECTION
 Transverse
section—
separates
body into upper & lower
 Cross-section — perpendicular to
the long axis of an organ
 Longitudinal section — along the
long axis of an organ
 Oblique section — cutting in a 1 &
7 o’clock position or 11 & 5 o’clock
position
ABDOMEN SUBDIVISION
The abdomen is a large area of the lower trunk of the body that is divided into
either:
 4 quadrants by bisecting the umbilicus (upper/lower )
 9 regions by making a tic-tac-toe line w/ umbilicus in the middle (hy, lul &
ihi)
Importance of dividing abdomen into smaller areas :
 to specifically pinpoint specific organs in the abdomen w/c are more or less
fixed in
 example: if patient experience pain in right lower quadrant or right iliac
region, then it is possibly appendicitis because the appendix is found in that
region
BODY CAVITIES & THEIR MEMBRANES
 spaces or potential spaces in the body
 3 anterior cavities: thoracic, abdominal, pelvic
 abdominal cavity + pelvic cavity = abdominopelvic cavity
 abdominopelvic cavity is continuous & not separated
 2 dorsal cavities: cranial & spinal
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1. Thoracic
Serous Membranes:
 Visceral – inner layer
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Parietal – outer layer
2. In-between: Cavity
 Pleural
 Pericardial
3. Abdominal
 Visceral & Parietal peritoneum
 Peritoneal cavity
 Mesentery → Visceral & Parietal peritoneum fused together
- anchor
- pathway for nerves & blood vessels
4. Pelvic
5. Others
 Cranial
 Vertebral