THE LANGUAGE OF ANATOMY
Anatomical Position and Directional Terms
-To accurately describe body parts and position, it is a must to have an initial reference point and set of directional terms. To avoid confusions, I is always assumed that the body is n a standard position called
anatomical position.
-The terminology that describes orientation and direction assumes that the body is upright, with arms at the side, and the palms of the hands facing forwards
Orientation and Directional Terms
• Superior (cranial or cephalad)- upper part
• Inferior (caudal)- lower part
• Anterior (ventral)- front
• Posterior (dorsal)- back
• Medial- near midline
• Lateral- far from midline
• Intermediate- between two structures
• Proximal- nearer attachment; close to the origin of the body part or point of attachment
• Distal- farther attachment; farther from the origin of the body part or part of attachment
• Superficial- on surface
• Deep- away from the surface
• Ipsilateral- on the same side
• Contralateral- on opposite side
Directional terms are used by medical personnel and anatomists to allow them to explain exactly where one body structure is in relation to another.
Example:
Using regular terms: The ears are located on each side of the head to the right and left of the nose
Using anatomical terminology: The ears are lateral to the nose
Body Regional Terms
-When view externally the body is divided into regions or areas
Anterior Body Landmarks
• Abdominal-anterior body trunk
• Acromial-point of shoulder
• Antecubital-anterior surface of elbow
• Axillary-armpit
• Brachial-arm
• Buccal-cheek
• Carpal-wrist
• Cervical-neck region
• Coxal-hip
• Crural-leg
• Digital-fingers, toes
• Femoral-thigh
• Fibular-side of the leg
• Frontal-forehead
• Inguinal-groin
• Mammary-breast
• Manus-hand
• Memtal-chin
• Nasal-nose
• Oral-mouth
• Orbital-bony eye socket (orbit)
• Palmar-palm
• Patellar-anterior knee (kneecap)
• Pelvic-area overlying the pelvis anteriorly
• Pollex-thumb
• Pubic-genital region
• Sternal-breastbone
• Tarsal-ankle
• Thoracic-chest
• Umbilical-navel
Posterior Body Landmarks
• calcaneal-heel
• cephalic-head
• deltoid-curve of shoulder formed by large deltoid
• dorsal-back
• gluteal-buttocks
• lumbar-area of back between ribs and hips; loin
• occipital-posterior surface of head
• olecranal-back of elbow
• perineal region-region between the anus and external
• plantar-sole
• popliteal-posterior knee area
• sacral-area between hips
• scapular-shoulder blade region
• sural-posterior surface of lower leg; calf
• vertebral-area of spine
Body Planes and Sections
-When preparing to look at the internal structure of the body, it is necessary to make a section or cut. When the section is made through the body wall or through an organ, it is made along an imaginary line called a plane.
Three Types of Planes or Sections
•
Sagittal Section- cut made along the lengthwise, or longitudinal, plane of the body, dividing the body into left and right parts. If the cut is made down the median plane of the body, and the right and left parts are equal in size, it is called midsagittal or median section
•
Frontal section- cut made along a lengthwise plane that divides body into anterior and posterior part. Also called coronal section
•
Transverse section- cut made along a horizontal plane, dividing the body into superior and anterior parts. Also called cross section
Body Cavities
-The body has two sets of internal cavities that provide different degrees of protection to the organs within them.
Dorsal Body Cavity
-well protected by bone
• The
cranial cavity is the space inside the bony skull. The brain is well protected because it occupies the cranial cavity
• The
spinal cavity extends from the cranial cavity nearly to the end of the vertebral column. The spinal cord, which is a continuation of the brain is protected by the vertebrae, which surround the spinal cavity
Ventral Body Cavity
-it contains all the structures within the chest and abdomen
• The
thoracic cavity is separated from the rest of the ventral cavity by a dome-shaped muscle, the diaphragm. The thoracic cavity houses the lungs and heart.
• The
abdominopelvic cavity is subdivided into abdominal cavity which contains most of the organs in the digestive system, the liver, the kidneys, and the spleen; its lower part, pelvic cavity, contains the reproductive organs and urinary bladder.
