LANGUAGE OF ANATOMY
Anatomical Terms, Directional Terms, Regional Terms,
Body Planes, and Body Cavities
Anatomical Position
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Always assume body is in anatomical position to
accurately describe body parts and position
Body is erect
Feet parallel, shoulder width apart
Palms to the side facing forward
Directional Terms
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Explains where one body structure is in relation to
another
Superior (Cranial, Cephalad) &
Inferior (Caudal)
Superior
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Toward the head or
upper part of a
structure of the body,
above
Ex: The forehead is
superior to the nose
Inferior
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Away from head end
or toward lower part
of body, below
Ex: The navel is
inferior to the
breastbone
Anterior (Ventral) &
Posterior (Dorsal)
Anterior
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Toward the front of the
body
Ex: The breastbone is
anterior to the spine
In four legged animals,
ventral refers to the
belly of an animal
Posterior
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Toward the backside,
behind
Ex: The heart is
posterior to the
breastbone
Medial &
Lateral
Medial
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Toward or at midline
of body, inner side
Ex: Heart is medial to
arm
Lateral
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Away from midline of
body, outer side
Ex: Arms are lateral
to the chest
Intermediate
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Between a more medial and a more lateral
structure
Ex: Armpit is intermediate between the breastbone
and shoulder
Proximal &
Distal
Proximal
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Close to the origin of
body part or point of
attachment of a limb
to the body of the
trunk
Ex: Elbow is proximal
to wrist
Distal
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Farther from origin of
body part or point of
attachment of limb to
body trunk
Ex: Knee is distal to
thigh
Superficial &
Deep
Superficial
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Deep
Toward body surface
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Ex: Skin is superficial
to skeleton
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Away from body
surface, more internal
Ex: Lungs are deep to
the ribcage
Practice
The wrist is blank to the hand
PROXIMAL
 The breastbone is blank to the spine
Anterior (Ventral)
 The brain is blank to the spinal cord
Superior
 The lungs are blank to the heart
Lateral
 The fingers are blank to the thumb
Distal
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Anterior Body Landmarks
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Abdominal- anterior body trunk
inferior to ribs
Acromial-point of shoulder
Antecubital-anterior surface of
elbow
Axillary-armpit
Brachial-arm
Buccal-cheek
Carpal-wrist
Cervical-neck
Coxal-hip
Crural-leg
Digital-fingers, toes
Femoral-thigh
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Fibular-lateral part of leg
Inguinal-groin
Nasal-nose
Oral-mouth
Orbital-eye
Patellar- anterior knee
Pelvic-anterior pelvis
Pubic-genital region
Sternal-breastbone
Tarsal-ankle
Thoracic-chest
Umbilical-naval
Posterior Body Landmarks
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Cephalic-head
Deltoid- curve of
shoulder
Gluteal-buttock
Lumbar-area of back
between ribs and hips
Occipital-posterior
side of head
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Popliteal-posterior
knee area
Sacral-area between
hips
Scapular-shoulder
blade region
Sural-calf
Vertebral-area of
spine
Body Landmarks
Anterior
Posterior
Body Planes and Sections
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Section-cut
 Sagittal
section- cut made lengthwise, dividing body
into right and left parts.
 If
its exactly in the middle it’s called a midsaggital section
 Frontal/
coronal section- cut made that divides body
into anterior and posterior
 Transverse/cross section-cut made along horizontal
plane, divides body into superior and inferior parts
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Plane-imaginary line that a section is made through
Body Sections and Planes
Body Cavities
Dorsal
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Cranial Cavity
Ventral
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Spinal Cavity
Thoracic cavity- seperated from the rest
by diaphragm
Abdominopelvic- can be further divided
into abdominal cavity and pelvic cavity
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Abdomial cavity can be divided into nine
more regions:
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1. Umbilical region- center rmost
2. epigastric region- superior to umbilical
region
3. Hypogastric region- inferior to
umbilical region
4. Right and Left Iliac/inguinal regionslateral to hypogastric region
5. Right and left lumbar regions- lateral
to umbillical region
6. Right and left hypochondriac regionlateral to epigastric region
Body Cavities