Why is it important for healthcare workers to know/use anatomical terms?
Universal position as a healthcare reference
Anatomical Position
Median/ Midsagittal
Divides the body or organ
vertically into EQUAL right
and left parts
*Body Planes
Sagittal
Divides the body or organ
vertically into unequal right
and left parts
*Body Planes
Frontal/ Coronal Plane
A vertical plane dividing the
body or an organ into front
and back sections.
What is the medical term for
front? back?
*Body Planes
Transverse Plane
A horizontal plane dividing the
body or organ into upper and
lower sections.
What is the medical term for
upper? lower?
*Body Planes
Medial
*Toward the midline
*Middle
*Away from the side
Lateral
*Toward the side of the
body
*Away from the midline
Proximal
*Toward or near the trunk
of the body
* Near the point of
attachment to the body
Hand- fingers/ wrist
Distal
* Away from
* Farther from the origin
or attachment to the
body
knee/ ankle
Anterior
*Front
*In front of
*Toward the front
Rostral (anterior)- toward
the front
Posterior
*Back
*Behind
*Toward the rear
1
2
Dorsal
* Near the upper
surface
* Toward the back
Ventral
* Toward the bottom
* Toward the belly
Superior
* Upper
* Above something
Inferior
* Lower
* Below something
Cranial
* refers to the head of
the body
Caudal
* means tail end
1
1
2
3
1
4
6
5
Internal
* inside the body
External
* outside the body
Superficial
* close to the surface
Deep
* many layers into the
body
1
2
Frontal
3
Identify on your Partner
* Area distal to knee
* Inferior to heart
* Area proximal to elbow
* Lateral to big toe
* Anterior side of the body
* Superior to lungs
* Medial to shoulder
* Posterior side of body
Body Cavities
* openings within the torso which contain
organs, protect organs and allow expansion
and contraction
B
O
D
Y
C
A
V
I
T
I
E
S
* Dorsal Cavity: brain and spinal cord
- Cranial Cavity: skull bones
- Spinal Cavity: vertebrae
* Ventral Cavity: chest and abdomen
- Thoracic Cavity: superior to diaphragm
a. pleural: surround lungs
b. mediastinum: divide the lungs
c. pericardial: surround heart
- Abdominopelvic Cavity: inferior to diaphragm
a. Abdominal: spleen, liver, gallbladder, stomach, int,
pancreas
b. Pelvic: bladder, cecum, appendix, colon, rectum,
reproductive
Abdominal Quadrants
* RUQ
* LUQ
* RLQ
* LLQ
Belly button is the point of reference
What does these stand
for?
Abdominal Regions
* Epigastric
* Umbilical
* Hypogastric
* Hypochondriac
* Lumbar/ Lateral
* Iliac/ Inguinal
more precise method of division
And you
thought
anatomy was
boring!!