ANATOMICAL
TERMINOLOGY
ANATOMICAL POSITION
 Arms
down by
side
 Palms up
 Head and eyes
forward
 Legs parallel,
feet together
CORONAL/SAGITTAL/TRANSVERSE
PLANES
 Coronal
Plane
(Frontal Plane)
 Sagittal Plane (Lateral
Plane)
 Transverse Plane
(Axial Plane)
CORONAL PLANE
 aka
Frontal Plane
 Vertical plane running
from side to side
 Divides the body or
any of its parts into
anterior and posterior
portions
SAGITTAL PLANE
 aka
Lateral Plane
 vertical plane running
from front to back
 Divides the body or
any of its parts into
right and left sides
TRANSVERSE PLANE
 aka
Axial Plane
 Horizontal plane
 Divides the body or
any of its parts into
upper and lower parts
ANTERIOR/POSTERIOR
 Anterior—to
be
situated near or
toward the front of
the body
 Posterior--to be
situated toward the
back of the body
SUPERIOR/INFERIOR
CRANIAL/CAUDAL
 Superior—means
to be situated toward
the upper part or head of the body,
positioned above another organ or
structure
 Inferior—to be situated toward the lower
part of the body or positioned below
another organ or structure
 Cranial—refers to the head end
 Caudal—refers to the tail end
SUPERIOR/INFERIOR
CRANIAL/CAUDAL
MEDIAL/LATERAL


Medial—to be closer
to the midline of the
body or a structure,
being internal as
opposed to external
Lateral—to be
farther away, in the
direction of either
side, from the
midline of the body
or a structure
PROXIMAL/DISTAL

Proximal: Toward or
nearest the trunk or
the point of origin of
a part

Distal: Away from or
farthest from the
trunk or the point of
origin of a part
AVASCULAR
 Without
blood
circulation
ECTOPIC
 Occurring
in an
abnormal position or
place
UNILATERAL/BILATERAL
Unilateral—on one side
 Bilateral—on both sides

ACUTE/CHRONIC
Acute—symptoms appear and change/worsen
rapidly (heart attack)
 Chronic—develops and worsens over an extended
period of time (atherosclerosis)

IPSILATERAL/CONTRALATERAL

Ipsilateral—on the same side as another structure


i.e. the left arm is ipsilateral to the left leg.
Contralateral—on the opposite from another
structure

i.e. the left arm is contralateral to the right arm, or the
right leg.
SUPERFICIAL/INTERMEDIATE/DEEP
 Superficial—near
body

the outer surface of the
i.e. skin is superficial to the muscle layer
 Intermediate—between
structures

i.e. the naval is intermediate to (or intermediate
between) the left arm and the contralateral
(right) leg.
 Deep—further
body

two other
away from the surface of the
i.e. the muscular layer is deep to the skin, but
superficial to the intestines.
BODY CAVITIES
 Thoracic
Cavity
 Abdominal and Pelvic
Cavity
 Dorsal Cavity
THORACIC CAVITY


Upper ventral, thoracic or
chest cavity
Contains:







Heart
Lungs
Trachea
Esophagus
Large blood vessels
Nerves
Bound laterally by ribs and
the diaphragm caudally
ABDOMINOPELVIC CAVITY
 Lower
part of ventral
cavity
 Abdominal:
Gastrointestinal tract
 Kidneys
 Adrenal glands

 Pelvic:
Urogenital system
 Rectum

DORSAL CAVITY
 Smaller
of two main
cavities
 Upper portion:
Cranial cavity
 Brain

 Lower

portion:
Vertebral canal
contains the spinal
cord
FLEXION/EXTENSION
ABDUCTION/ADDUCTION
Abduction—moving a body part away from
midline
 Adduction—moving a body part toward the
midline

ABDUCTION/ADDUCTION
INTERNAL/EXTERNAL ROTATION
 Internal
rotation—
rotation towards the
center of the body

aka medial rotation
 External
rotation—
rotation away the
center of the body

aka lateral rotation
INTERNAL/EXTERNAL ROTATION
HIP INTERNAL ROTATION
HAND: DORSAL/PLAMAR
FOOT: DORSAL/PLANTAR
SUPINATION/PRONATION
PLANTAR FLEXION/DORSIFLEXION
ELEVATION/DEPRESSION
INVERSION/EVERSION
SUPERFICIAL/INTERMEDIATE/DEEP
REVIEW











Anatomic planes/position
Distal
Proximal
Medial
Lateral
Superior
Inferior
Cranial
Caudal
Anterior
Posterior










Acute
Chronic
Pronation
Supination
Inversion
Eversion
Varus
Valgus
Avascular
Ectopic