Lec: Common Anatomical Terms

Prepared by: Roy P. Maribojoc M.D

Anatomical Terms
 Latin or Greek
 Descriptions of the body in an anatomical position

Anatomical Position
 Standardized position from which to describe directional terms (Anytime
you describe structures relative to one another, you must assume this
standard position)
 standing upright
 facing the observer, head level
 eyes facing forward
 feet flat on the floor
 arms at the sides
 palms turned forward
Anatomical Position

Anterior (Ventral)
 Toward the front of the body
Posterior (Dorsal)
 Toward the rear or back of the body

In describing the hands, the term palmar is used in place of anterior

In describing the foot, the term plantar is used to describe the lower surface of
the foot

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 Planes and Sections

 A plane is an imaginary flat surface that passes through the body.

 A section is one of the 2 surfaces (pieces) that results when the body is
cut by a plane passing through it.

1. Sagittal plane
 divides the body or an organ into left and right sides
 Midsagittal plane
-produces equal halves
 Parasagittal plane
-produces unequal halves

2. Frontal or coronal plane

 divides the body or an organ into front (anterior) and back (posterior)
portions
3. Transverse(cross-sectional) or horizontal plane
 divides the body or an organ into upper (superior) or lower
(inferior) portions

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 Major Directional Terms
 Superior
 towards the head
Ex. The eyes are superior to the mouth.
 Inferior
 away from the head
Ex. The stomach is inferior to the heart
 Dorsal or Posterior
 at the back of the body
Ex The brain is posterior to the forehead.

 Ventral or Anterior
 at the front of the body
Ex The sternum is anterior to the heart.
 Medial
 nearer to the midline of the body
Ex The heart lies medial to the lungs.

 Lateral
 farther from the midline of the body
Ex The thumb is on the lateral side of the hand.
 Proximal
 a location or direction toward or closer to the trunk.
 nearer to the attachment of the limb to the trunk
Ex The knee is proximal to the ankle.
 Distal
 away or farther from the trunk
 farther from the attachment of the limb to the trunk
Ex The wrist is distal to the elbow.
 Superficial
 closer to the surface skin
Ex The skin is superficial to the muscles
 Deep
 farther from the surface
Ex The bones is located deep to the muscles
 Ipsilateral
 Same side of the body
Ex the left hand and left foot are ipsilateral
 Contralateral
 Opposite side of the body
Ex the right hand and left foot are contralateral
 Supine
 Lying on the back
 Prone
 Lying face downward

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Body Cavities
1. Dorsal Body Cavity
 2 subdivisions
 cranial cavity
• holds the brain
• formed by skull
 vertebral or spinal canal
• contains the spinal cord

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 • formed by vertebral column
 Meninges line dorsal body cavity

2. Ventral Body Cavity

 2 subdivisions
 thoracic cavity
 above diaphragm
 Contains the lungs , the heart, the great vessels
 abdominopelvic cavity
 formed by the abdominal cavity and pelvic cavity
 below diaphragm
 abdominal cavity contains the stomach, spleen, intestines,
liver, gallbladder, pancreas
 pelvic cavity contains the reproductive organs, urinary
bladder and rectum
 Diaphragm = large, dome-shaped muscle
 Organs called viscera
 Organs covered with serous membrane
Body Movements

 Flexion
o Decreases the angle of a joint and brings two bones closer together
 Extension
o Increases the angle or distance between two bones
 Abduction
o Moving a limb away from the midline
 Adduction
o Movement of a limb toward the midline
 Circumduction
o Combination of flexion, extension, abduction and adduction-
 “ swinging arms in circles”
 Dorsiflexion and plantar flexion
o Up and down movements of the foot
 Inversion and eversion
o Medial and lateral movements of the foot
 inversion- turning foot so sole is inward
 eversion- sole is out
 Supination and pronation
o Lateral and medial rotations of the palm
 supination- rotation of arm to palm-up position
 pronation- palm down
 Opposition
o Movement of the thumb to touch the tips of the other fingers of the
same hand

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  Protraction is to move forward; Retraction is to move backward (used to
describe the forward and backward movement of the jaw at the
temporomandibular joints)

REGION DEFINITION

cephalic pertaining to the head

orbital related to the bony eye socket and associated structures
otic pertaining to the ear
buccal pertaining to, adjacent to, or in the direction of the cheek
oral relating to the mouth
cervical pertaining to the neck
clavicular related to the area of the clavicle (collarbone)
supraclavicular pertaining to the area above the clavicle
infraclavicular pertaining to the area below the clavicle
sternal pertaining to the middle of the thorax, anteriorly
axillary pertaining to the armpit
cubital pertaining to the elbow
antecubital the anterior surface of the elbow
carpal pertaining to the wrist
palmar pertaining to the palm of the hand
inguinal pertaining to the depressed area where the thigh is joined to the
anterior abdominal wall (AKA groin)
genital pertaining to the external reproductive organs
scapular pertaining to the region overlying the scapula or shoulder blades
suprascapular pertaining to the region above the scapula
interscapular pertaining to the region between the two scapulae
infrascapular pertaining to the region immediately below the scapula,
vertebral pertaining to the spinal column
lumbar pertaining to the region of the lower back between the ribs
and the pelvic (AKA loin)
gluteal pertaining to the buttocks
perineal pertaining to the region directly between the legs, including the
anus and external reproductive organs
popliteal pertaining to the posterior knee
pedal pertaining to the foot as a whole
plantar pertaining to the bottom surface of the foot
tarsal pertaining to the ankle

REGIONS OF THE ABDOMEN

1. Right Hypochondriac: Liver, gall bladder, small intestine, ascending colon,

transverse colon, right kidney

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2. Epigastric: Esophagus, stomach, liver, pancreas, small intestine, transvers
colon, right and left adrenal glands, pancreas, right and left kidneys, right and left
ureters, spleen

3. Left Hypochondriac: Stomach, tip of liver, tail of pancreas, small intestines,

transverse colon, descending colon, left kidney, spleen

4. Right Lumbar: Tip of liver, gall bladder, small intestine, ascending colon, right
kidney

5. Umbilical: Stomach, pancreas, small intestine, transverse colon, pancreas,

right and left kidneys, right and left ureters

6. Left Lumbar: Small intestine, descending colon, tip of left kidney

7. Right Iliac: Small intestine, appendix, cecum and ascending colon; F- right
ovary, right fallopian tube

8. Hypogastric: Small intestine, sigmoid colon, rectum, right and left ureters,
urinary bladder; F- uterus, right and left ovaries, right and left Fallopian tubes; M-
vas deferens, seminal vessicle, prostate

9. Left Iliac: Small intestine, descending colon, sigmoid colon; F- left ovary, left
Fallopian tube

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Regions of the abdomen