UNIT 3
Directional Terms, Anatomic
Planes, and Abdominopelvic
Quadrants
Body Planes
body planes are imaginary
horizontal and vertical lines used
to divide the body into sections for
descriptive purposes…
Body
Planes
midsagittal plane
sagittal plane
divides the body into
unequal left and right
halves
also referred to as the
midline
divides the body into
equal left and right
halves
coronal plane
divides the body
into front and back
portions
coron/o
head or crown
-al = pertaining to
midsagittal plane
coronal plane
transverse plane
sometimes referred to
as the horizontal
plane
divides the body into
upper and lower
portions
midsagittal plane
• deep – situated far below the surface
• superficial – situated near the surface
Quadrants
1. Right Upper Quadrant (RUQ)
2. Left Upper Quadrant (LUQ)
3. Right Lower Quadrant (RLQ)
4. Left Lower Quadrant (LLQ)
Body
Directions
~ relative location of the whole body
or an organ in comparison to other
body parts
Ventral & Anterior
ventr/o = front or belly side
anter/o = front or before
-ior = pertaining to
What would be
ventral, anterior
on the dog?
Dorsal & Posterior
dors/o = back side
poster/o = back or after
What would be
dorsal, posterior
on the dog?
Superior & Cephalic
superior = uppermost,
above, or toward the head
cephal/o = head
-ic = pertaining to
What would
indicate superior
or cephalic on
the dog?
Inferior & Caudal
inferior = lowermost, below,
or toward the feet
caud/o = tail or lower part
of the body
What would
indicate inferior
or caudal on the
dog?
Proximal
proximal = nearest the midline
or beginning of a body structure
Which arrow would represent
proximal?
Distal
distal = farthest from the midline
or beginning of a body structure
Which arrow would represent
distal?
Medial
medial = the direction
toward or nearer the
midline or middle
Medial
medial = the direction
toward or nearer the
midline
Which arrow(s) would
represent medial?
Lateral
lateral = the direction
toward the side, away from
the midline
Which arrow(s) would
represent lateral?
Bilateral
What would bilateral mean?
bi- = two
“pertaining to two sides”
Unilateral
What would unilateral mean?
uni- = one
“pertaining to one side”
End of Unit 3
Directional Terms, Anatomic Planes,
and Abdominopelvic Quadrants