Human Anatomy
Anatomical Terms

Definitions
• Anatomy – Deals with the structure of body parts – their forms and relationships.
• Physiology – Deals with the functions of body parts – what they do and how they do it.
• Dissection – The careful cutting apart of body parts to see their relationships.

Anatomical Terminology
• Body Positions
• Regional Names
• Directional Terms
• Planes and Sections
• Body Cavities

Body Positions
• Anatomical Position
– The subject stands erect facing the observer, with the head level and the eyes facing forward. The feet are flat on the floor and directed forward, and the arms are at the sides with the palms turned forward.
• Prone – body lying face down.
• Supine – body lying face up.

Anatomical Position

Regional Names
• Regions can be identified externally.
• Principal regions:
– Head (cephalic)
– Neck (cervical)
– Trunk
– Upper limb
– Lower limb

Directional Terms
• Superior (cephalic or cranial) and inferior
(caudal).
• Anterior (ventral) and posterior (dorsal).
• Medial and lateral.

Directional Terms
• Intermediate
• Ipsilateral and contralateral.
• Proximal and distal.
• Superficial and deep.

Directional Terms

Planes and Sections
• Sagittal Plane – vertical plane – divides body into right and left.
• Midsaggital or median plane – equal parts
• Parasaggital plane – unequal parts

Planes and Sections
• Frontal or coronal – divides body into anterior and posterior parts
• Transverse plane – divides body into superior and inferior parts
• Oblique plane – angle
• Section – one flat surface or a 3-D structure

Planes

Planes

Body Cavities
• Spaces within the body that help protect, separate, and support internal organs.
• Two major cavities are the dorsal and ventral body cavities.

Dorsal Body Cavity
• Located near the dorsal (posterior) surface of the body.
• Subdividions
– Cranial cavity
– Vertebral (spinal) canal
• Meninges

Ventral Body Cavity
• Located near the ventral (anterior) aspect of the body.
• Subdivisions
– Thoracic cavity
– Abdominopelvic cavity
• Diaphragm
• Viscera

Dorsal and Ventral Cavities

Thoracic Cavity
• Subdivisions
– Pericardial Cavity
– Pleural cavities
– mediastinum

Abdominopelvic cavity
• Subdivisions
– Abdominal Cavity
– Pelvic Cavity

Thoracic and Abdominal Cavity
Membranes
• Serous membrane
• Pleura
• Pericardium
• Peritoneum

Abdominopelvic Regions and
Quadrants
• The nine-region designation is used for anatomical studies, whereas the quadrant designation is used to locate the site of pain, tumor, or some other abnormality.

Abdominopelvic Regions
• Right Hypochondriac Region
• Epigastric Region
• Left Hypochondriac Region
• Right Lumbar Region
• Umbilical Region
• Left Lumbar Region
• Right Inguinal (Iliac) Region
• Hypogastric (Pubic Region)
• Left Inguinal (Iliac) Region
• Subcostal line, transtubercular line, midclavicular lines

Abdominopelvic Quadrants
• Right Upper Quadrant (RUQ)
• Left Upper Quadrant (LUQ)
• Right Lower Quadrant (RLQ)
• Left Lower Quadrant (LLQ)
• Horizontal lines passes through umbilicus