UNIT 4 – READING & VOCABULARY (2 hours)

ENGLISH FOR MEDICAL PURPOSES – GP Y2

BODY PARTS &

ANATOMICAL TERMS
Editor: Nguyen Hoang Quynh Mai
Email: nguyenhquynhmai@duytan.edu.vn
BODY PARTS
 HEAD
NECK SHOULDERS NAPE

CHEST TRUNK BACK

ABDOMEN
WAIST
HIP BUTTOCKS
PALM

LIMBS

SOLE
MOUTH

LIP(S)
TOOTH
(TEETH)

TONGUE
 FACE

CHEEK(S) EYE(S)
EYEBROW(S)
EAR(S) EYELID
NOSE EYELASHES
PUPIL
CHIN IRIS
NECK
 ARM
WRIST

FOREARM

ELBOW

UPPER ARM
AXILLA / ARMPIT
 LEG(S) THIGH

KNEE(S)

CALF
SHIN

FOOT (FEET) ANKLE(S)

TOE(S) HEEL
 HAND(S) THUMB
INDEX FINGER
FINGER(S)
MIDDLE FINGER
RING FINGER
LITTLE/PINKY
FINGER
REVIEW GAMES
 1 6 9
4
2 7 10
5
3 8 11
12
26

25 13
24 14
31
30 23 15
22
21

29 27
16
20

28 17
19 18
ANATOMICAL TERMS
 Directional terms
We will be discussing anatomical directional terms, or
simply anatomical terms. Anatomical terms help us to
identify the location of both internal and external body
structures. Most of these terms are used to identify where
something is located on the body relative to another
body part. These terms refer to the locations of human
body parts as they occur in the the universal anatomical
position. The anatomical position is an upright standing
position with arms at the side, palms facing forward, and
both feet together.
ANATOMICAL
POSITION:
- BODY stand erect
with feet flat on the
floor
- FACE AND EYES
face forward
- ARMS at the sides
with the palms
facing forward
 Directional terms
When we need describe the location of a body part
as above or below another body part we use the terms
superior and inferior. When a body part is superior, it is
considered vertically closer to the top of the head in the
anatomical position. On the other hand, a body part is
considered inferior if it is closer to the bottom of the feet.
For example, with the abdomen as the point of
reference, we could say that it is both superior to the
pelvis and inferior to the chest.
 Directional terms
When we need to describe the location of a body part as in
front of, or behind, another body part we use the terms anterior
and posterior. Like other anatomical directional terms, a body part
being either anterior or posterior depends on the point of
reference. Anterior is towards the front of the body while posterior
is toward the back of the body. For example, the nose is anterior
to the ears, and using these same points of reference, we can say
that the ears are posterior to the nose.
Please note: the terms ventral and dorsal are used
interchangeably with anterior and posterior when referring to both
human and animal body parts. However, the terms anterior and
posterior are mainly used for locating human body parts.
 Directional terms
If you want to describe the location of something that is relative
to the middle of the body you would use the term medial. To
identify something located medially, you would create a mid-line
division of the body. The mid-line is an imaginary line that goes
from top-to-bottom and divides your body into two equal parts
left and right. When you have the mid-line, the body part that is
closer to the mid-line division is medial to the structure farther from
the mid-line.
The structure that is farther away from the mid-line is referred to
as lateral. Whether you use lateral or medial to describe a
structure largely depends on the site you have to describe. Here
are some examples. The bicep muscle in the upper arm is lateral
to the pectoral muscle in the chest. Further, in the anatomical
position we could say that the pinky finger is medial to the thumb.
 Directional terms
“Proximal” and “distal” are used to describe the
location of points on a limb relative to that limb’s
connection to the torso. The proximal site is the one
that is closer to the limb’s point of attachment,
while the distal site is the point that lies further away
from the point of attachment. As an example, the
wrist is distal to the elbow, and the elbow is
proximal to the wrist.
 Directional terms
“Superficial” and “deep” are the last two directional
terms we will cover. Superficial, refers to a location
towards the surface of a body structure or organ. While
deep, is concerned with a location that is towards the
center of a body structure or organ. For instance, if we
look at a cross section of the skin, the top skin layer,
called the epidermis is superficial to the subcutaneous
layer. The subcutaneous layer is considered deep to the
epidermis.
Video: Directional terms
Write down pairs of words describing direction.
Give 2 examples for each pair (make 2 sentences) using these
terms.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqgTERrYbQ4
 superior – inferior
anterior – posterior (ventral – dorsal)
medial – lateral
proximal – distal
superficial – deep
Anatomical planes
Describe the position of some parts/organs in the body using
directional terms.
Describe the position of some organs in the body
using directional terms.
Video: Joint movements song
Just sing along!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oA6HiaV1RlU
 EXERCISES FOR PRACTICE
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS:
https://play.kahoot.it/v2/?quizId=5e360155-7301-4017-
9f85-64ff86f31238
SHORT-ANSWERED QUESTIONS:
1. Describe the relative location of the chest using the term
superior and inferior. (3-5 sentences)
2. Describe the relative location of the eye using the term
anterior and posterior. (3-5 sentences)
QUESTIONS
& ANSWERS