Medical Terminology
Anatomy and Positions
Definitions
 Anatomy – physical structures of the body
 Physiology – how the body structures work
and the functions of the body structures.
Human body structure
1.
Chemicals – atoms and molecules
2.
Cells – are the building blocks of the body
3.
Tissues
4.
Organs
5.
Body systems
Types of cells
 Blood cells – e.g. white blood cells called
leucocyte
 Muscle cells
 Nerve cells
 Bone cells
Medical terminology re cells
 Cyt/o = combining form for cell
 cyte = suffix for cell
 Path/o = combining form meaning disease
 Path/o/logy means …….
Cytology

Cyt
root word
cell

Pg 9,10
/
o
/
combining
form
logy
suffix
study of
Cytology means study of cells
Tissues
 Connective tissue – connects body structures to
other tissues e.g. fat tissue, bone tissue
 Epithelial tissues – forms the skin and lines body
organs for protection e.g. stomach
 Muscle tissue – responsible for movement
 Nerve tissue –relays info from one body part to
another
 Hist/o =combining form of tissue
pg10
Organs
 Composed of two or more different types of
tissues
 Organs perform special functions
e.g. stomach - responsible for breaking
down food
lungs – responsible for breathing
heart – responsible for circulating blood
to body parts
Systems
Are groups of organs working together to perform a
particular function
1. Digestive system
2. Skeletal system
3. Muscular system
4. Nervous system
5. Cardiovascular system
6. Respiratory system
7. Urinary system
8. Reproductive system
9. Integumentary system (skin)
Positional Terms
pg13
Term
Meaning
Example
Anterior
(ventral)
•more to the front than another
•sternum is anterior to the
structure
•describes the front part/surface
heart
•umbilicus is on anterior
surface of body
Posterior
(dorsal)
•more to the back
•spinal column is posterior
•describes the back surface of the body
to the abdomen
•heel is in posterior
section of foot
Central
close to the middle
heart is in the central part
of thoracic cavity (chest)
Medial
towards the middle of the body/away
from the side
umbilicus is medial to the
hips
Lateral
towards the side of the body / away
from the middle
hips are lateral to the
umbilicus
peripheral
away from the centre point
limbs are peripheral to the
body
Positional Terms
Term
Meaning
Example
Superficial
at, or close to the surface of the body
Superficial blood vessels are
close to the surface
Distal
Further away form the point of
attachment, midline) or nearer to an
extremity
Fingers are distal to the
midline of the body
Proximal
closer to the point of attachment /or
midline of the body
Shoulder is proximal to the
body midline
Inferior
Lower in the body than another
structure or surface; away from the
head
ankle is inferior to the knee
Superior
Above another area of body or
towards the head
Head is superior to the trunk
Internal
inside the body or an organ
Cochlea is an internal part of
the ear
External
Outside the body or organ
Ear lobe is an external part of
Movement Terms
Term
Meaning
Term
Meaning
Abduct
move away from
Adduct
move towards
Afferent
conducting away
Efferent
conducting towards
Extension
increases the angle
flexion
decreases the angle
Hyperextens over extension
ion
lateral
rotation
to turn to the side
Pronation
supination
palm up
palm down
Movement Terms
 Flexion – angle of joint is decreased
 Extension – angle of joint is increased
 Hyperextension – further increase in angle of joint
 Abduction – moves away from midline of body
 Adduction – moves towards midline of body
Body Planes
 Midsaggital plane – divides left and right
 Transverse plane – divides upper (superior)
and lower (inferior)
 Coronal plane – divides front (anterior) and
back (posterior)
Pg 14
Directional Terms
Root word
Meaning
Root word
Meaning
anter,anteri
before.front
poster,posteri back,behind
cephal
caud (kawd)
tail,down
dextr
head
up,upward
right
sinitr
left
proxim
near
dist
away
superi
above
inferi
below
medi
middle
later
side
vetr
belly
dors
back
Body Cavities
1.Dorsal cavity – back of body
Consists of:
a) cranial cavity (holds brain)
b) spinal cavity (holds spinal cord)
2. Ventral cavity – front of body
Consists of:
a) thoracic cavity – heart, lungs
b) abdominal cavity – digestive organs, kidneys
c) pelvic cavity – reproductive and bladder
Pg 16
Abdominal Quadrants
 Right upper quadrant (RUQ)
 Left upper quadrant (LUQ)
 Right lower quadrant (RLQ)
 Left lower quadrant (LLQ)
pg16