Organization of the
Human Body
Objectives
At the end of this unit you should be able to:
– name the cavities of the body and their organs
– locate and identify the anatomical and clinical
divisions of the abdomen
– locate and name the anatomical divisions of the
back
– pronounce and define terms used to describe the
body positions, directions, and planes
– use the new words to understand medical terms
Structure
Definition
Example
Smallest part of an element.
Hydrogen, zinc,
nitrogen
Molecule
Smallest quantity of a substance that
cannot be divided.
NaCl
Compound
Substance made up of 2 or more units
combined. (A molecule plus an atom.
H2O or water
Smallest unit of life.
Skin cell
Tissue
A group of similar cells that work
together to perform a similar function.
Nerve tissue
Organ
A group of tissues that form
together to perform a similar function.
Heart, lungs
Atom
Cell
System
Body
A group of organs /structures that work
together to perform functions together. Respiratory
The physical part of a man or woman.
You
Cranial cavity
Dorsal
cavity
Spinal cavity
Thoracic cavity
Ventral
cavity
Abdominopelvic
cavity
Abdominal
cavity
Pelvic cavity
Dorsal or Ventral
Cavity
Location
Dorsal
Pertains to the back of the body
Ventral
Dorsal
Dorsal
Dorsal
Pertains to the front of the body
Ventral
Contains the thoracic, abdominal, & pelvic
cavities
Contains the cranial & spinal cavities
Contains the brain
Contains the vertebrae, spinal cord
Abdominal, Pelvic, or Thoracic Cavity
Thoracic
Lungs
Abdominal
Pelvic
Liver
Urinary bladder
Heart
Gall bladder
Reproductive
organs
Aorta
Spleen
Esophagus
Stomach
Trachea
Pancreas
Intestines
Kidneys
Anatomical
Position
• standing with feet
forward
• hands and arms
facing forward
• notice the RIGHT and
LEFT side are
opposite from yours
Directional Terms
Term
Meaning
Ventral / Anterior
Dorsal / Posterior
Pertaining to the front of the body
Medial
Pertaining to the midline of the body
Lateral
Toward the side of the body
Superior / Cranial
Toward the head of the body
Inferior / Caudal
Below or toward the feet
Distal
Away from the point of attachment
Proximal
Toward the point of attachment
Pertaining to the back of the body
lateral distal medial
proximal
proximal to the
The forearm is _________
hand.
distal
The hand is _________
to the
forearm.
medial
The big toe is _________
to the
little toe.
lateral
The little toe is _________
to the
big toe.
Abdominal Quadrants
Right Upper
Quadrant
Right Lower
Quadrant
1
3
2
4
Left Upper
Quadrant
Left Lower
Quadrant
Bones of the neck C1-C7
Bones of the chest T1-T12
Bones of the lower back.
Largest of the vertebrae L1-L5
5 fused bones. Referred to
by its name.
4 fused bones. Referred to
by its name.
Body Planes
• Sagittal Plane
– divides the body into
right and left sides
• Coronal Plane
– divides the body into
a front and back
• Transverse Plane
– divides the body into
upper and lower
halves
What plane is this
image showing?
•Sagittal
•Coronal
•Transverse
What plane is
this image
showing?
•Coronal
•Transverse
•Sagittal
What plane is
this image
showing?
•Coronal
•Sagittal
•Transverse
Body Regions
Term
Plantar
Popliteal
Meaning
sole of foot
back of knee
Gluteal
buttock
Sacral
Scapular
sacrum
small of back
shoulder blade
Cervical
neck
Occipital
base of skul
Lumbar
Body Regions
Term
Umbilical
Antecubital
Meaning
navel
inner elbow
Axillary
armpit
Mammary
Ocular
breast
mouth
eye
Frontal
forehead
Oral
coxal
hip
Body Regions
Term
Pedal
Phalangeal
Tarsal
Patellar
Femoral
Palmar
Meaning
foot
toes and/or fingers
ankle
kneecap
thigh
palm
Pubic
pubis
Inguinal
groin
Body Regions
Term
Cephalic
Meaning
head
Cranial
cranium
Facial
face
Thoracic
Brachial
Antebrachial
chest
arm
forearm
Carpal
wrist
crural
leg
Combining Forms
Term
abdomin/o
Meaning
abdominal
anter/o
front
cervic/o
neck
coccyg/o
coccyx
cranium
cell
crani/o
cyt/o
caud/o
back
hist/o
tissue
Combining Forms
Term
ili/o
Meaning
ilium / hipbone
inguin/o
groin
later/o
side
lumb/o
medi/o
pelv/o
lower back
middle
pelvis
poster/o
back
proxim/o
closer to the point of attachment
Combining Forms
Term
Meaning
sacr/o
sacrum / tailbone
spin/o
spine
thorac/o
chest
umbilic/o
vertebr/o
navel
front
vertebra
viscer/o
organ
ventr/o
Celery Surgery
head
front – groove
toward you
feet
After you have
placed your patient
in the supine
position, assume
you are the surgeon
performing the
following 4 surgical
procedures on your
patient (celery).
1.
At the umbilicus, make a SUPERFICIAL
MIDSAGITTAL INCISION on the ventral surface of
your patient. Extend the incision inferiorly to the feet
(base of the stalk of celery).
2.
At the Superior end (head of patient), Make a DEEP
TRANSVERSE INCISION on the dorsal surface of
your patient. Do not transect your (cut into two
halves) patient.\
3.
Enter at the LATERAL surface at the umbilical level
and make a complete FRONTAL (CORONAL) incision
and proceed inferiorly (all the way to the feet).
4.
Make a COMPLETE MEDIAL NOTCH * on the inferior
end of your patient (celery). *a notch is a 3-D triangle
similar to the wedge made in the side of a tree as you
are chopping it down