KARAGANDA MEDICAL UNIVERSITY

Introduction about Human

anatomy, anatomical planes
and position

Department: Morphology & physiology

Presented by: Dr. Reena Tiwari

Professor, KMU
 Definition of
anatomy:
 It is a Greek word ( Ana-Tome): meaning
cutting up.

 Anatomy – the study of the structure of body

parts and their relationships to one another.
 SUBDIVISIONS OF ANATOMY

 Gross Anatomy
 Microscopic Anatomy ( Histology )
 Developmental Anatomy ( Embryology )
 Specialized Branches of Anatomy
Gross Anatomy
 Regional – all structures in one part of the body (such
as
the abdomen or leg)
 Systemic – gross anatomy of the body studied by system
 Surface – study of internal structures as they relate to the
overlying skin

Developmental Anatomy
( Embryology)
Embryology – study of developmental changes of the
body before birth
Microscopic Anatomy (Histology )
Specialized Branches of Anatomy
 Pathological anatomy – study of
structural changes caused by disease

 Radiographic anatomy – study of internal

structures visualized by X ray

 Molecular biology – study of anatomical

structures at a sub-cellular level
 Physiology
® Study of the body function
• System Physiology - - - - - ­
- study of body system's function

• Comparative Physio lo gy - - - -
- -
- study of various characteristics
of living organisms
• Medical Physiology - - - - -
- study of physiological dysfunction
and diseases
 Chemical
•Combination of atoms to form molecules

Cell

• •
Basic living units; h a v e c o m m o n characteristics,
differ in structure and func tion

Tissu
A group of cells with similar structure and function:
e

•
epithelial, connective, musc le , nervous

Organ
Two or more tissues work together perform one or

•
more c o m m o n func tion: eye, skin , stomach, heart.

Organ
A group of organs of a co mm o n
System func tio n:
Ske le ta l, Muscular, Nervous, En d o c rin e ,
Cardiovascular, lymphatic, resp ira to r y, digestive.
Anatomical Position
 The anatomical position is a standardized
method of observing or imaging the body
that allows precise and consistent
anatomical references.
 When in the anatomical position, the
subject
stands:
 standing upright
 facing the observer, head level
 eyes facing forward
 feet flat on the floor
 arms at the sides
 palms turned forward (ventral)
 Positions and Directions
Prone
 Lying face down
 Like a Pro Baseball player sliding into Home.

Supine
 Lying face up
 Lying on your spine and you can have soup poured into your mouth.
Unilateral
 Pertaining to one side of the body

Bilateral
 Pertaining to both sides of the body
 Basic body
planes or
sections

These terms are used

for planes or sections
that cut the body,
organs, tissues, or cells
Skull
Anatomical Planes

 Fixed lines of reference

along which the body is
often divided or sectioned
to facilitate viewing of
its structures
 Allow one to obtain a
three-dimensional
perspective by studying
the body from
different views
Anatomical Planes
Sagittal plane
 The plane dividing the
body into right and
left portions
 Midsagittal or median
are names for the
plane dividing the
body into equal right
and left halves
Anatomical Planes
Frontal (coronal) plane
 The plane dividing
the body into
front and back
portions
 Also called the
Coronal plane
Anatomical Planes
Transverse plane
 The horizontal plane
dividing the body
into upper and lower
portions
 Also called the
Horizontal plane
Body planes and sections
- cut into sections along a flat surface called a plane

(also called coronal)

(also called XS – cross section)

 Sectional Anatomy
 Describe three-dimensional structures.
 Sectional Planes:
 Transverse Planes- divide the body into
superior/inferior sections.
 Frontal Planes ( coronal )- divide the body into
anterior and posterior sections.
 Sagittal Planes : divide the body into left and right
sections.
 Midsagittal Section : divide the body into left and
right Exactly equal halves
Example of how planes
would cut the brain
Transverse plane
Frontal (Coronal) Plane
Sagittal Plane
 Positions and
Directions
Terms of position and
direction describe the
position of one body part
relative to another.
 It usually along one of
the three major body
planes
Positions and Directions
Superior
 Refers to a structure being closer
to the head or higher than
another structure in the body

Inferior
 Refers to a structure being closer
to the feet or lower than another
structure in the body
 Positions and
Directions
Anterior
 Refers to a structure being more
in front than another structure
in the body

Posterior
 Refers to a structure being more
in back than another structure
in the body
Positions and
Directions
Medial
 Refers to a structure being
closer to the midline or median
plane of the body than another
structure of the body

Lateral
 Refers to a structure being
farther away from the midline
than another structure of the
body
 Positions and Directions
Distal
(Reference to the extremities only)
 Refers to a structure being
further away from the root of
the limb than another
structure in the limb

Proximal
(Reference to the extremities only)
 Refers to a structure being
closer to the root of the limb
than another structure in
that limb
Distal / Proximal Cont.

 When you divide the

skeleton into Axial (Blue)
and Appendicular
(Yellow) you can better
understand the extremities
and their roots.

Proximal
Distal
 Positions and Directions

Superficial
 Refers to a structure being
closer to the surface of the
body than another structure

Deep
 Refers to a structure being
closer to the core of the
body than another structure
 Positions and Directions

Ventral
 Towards the front or belly
 You Vent out or your nose and mouth.

Dorsal
 Towards the back
 Like the Dorsal fin of a dolphin.
Movements
 Movements
 Flexion
 Extension
 Hyperextension
 Adduction
 Abduction
 Prontaion
 Supination
 Retraction
 Protraction
 Elevation
 Depression
 Rotation
 Circumduction
 External Rotation
 Internal Rotation
 Inversion
 Eversion
 Dorsiflexion
 Plantarflexion
 Radial Deviation
 Ulnar Deviation
 Opposition
 Movements
Flexion
 Bending a joint or decreasing
the angle between two bones
 In the Fetal Position we are flexing our joints

Extension
 Straightening a joint or increasing
the angle between two bones
 In the Anatomical Position we are extending our joints

Hyperextension
 Excessive extension of the parts at
a joint beyond anatomical position.
Flexion / Extension / Hyperextension
 Movements

Adduction
 Moving a body part
towards the midline of the
body

Abduction
 Moving a body part away
from the midline of the
body
 Movements
Pronation
 Turning the arm or foot
downward
 (palm or sole of the foot -
down)
 Prone

Supination
 Turning the arm or foot
upward
 (palm or sole of the
foot
- up) Supine

 Movements
Retraction
 Moving a part backward

Protraction
 Moving a part
forward

Elevation
 Raising a part

Depression
 Lowering a part
 Movements
Rotation
 Turning on a single axis

Circumduction
 Tri-planar, circular motion
at the hip or shoulder
Internal rotation
 Rotation of the hip or
shoulder toward the
midline
External rotation
 Rotation of the hip or
shoulder away from the
midline
 Movements

Lateral Flexion
 Side-bending left or
right
Movements of the Foot
Inversion
 Turning the sole of the foot
inward

Eversion
 Turning the sole of the foot
outward

Dorsiflexion
 Ankle movement bringing
the foot towards the shin

Plantarflexion
 Ankle movement pointing
the foot downward
Movements of the Wrist &Thumb

Radial Deviation
 Movement of the wrist towards
the radius or lateral side.

Ulnar Deviation
 Movement of the wrist towards
the ulna or medial side.

Opposition
 Movement of the thumb across
the palm of the hand.
Additional Range of Motion
Some Anatomical Directions
 Superior and Inferior

 Anterior and Posterior

 Dorsal and Ventral

 Proximal and Distal

 Medial and Lateral

ANY QUESTIONS?
THANK
YOU