What are the directional terms?

Directional Terms Inferior or caudal – away from the head; lower (example, the foot is part of the inferior extremity). Anterior or ventral – front (example, the kneecap is located on the anterior side of the leg). Posterior or dorsal – back (example, the shoulder blades are located on the posterior side of the body).

What are the 12 directional terms?

Terms in this set ( 12 )

• Ventral. Toward the Front (or belly)
• Dorsal. Toward the Back (or spine)
• Anterior. Toward the front Side.
• posterior. Toward the back side.
• Superior. Above.
• Inferior. Below.
• Medial. Towards the middle.
• Lateral. Towards the side.

How are directional terms used in anatomy?

The terms used to explain anatomical positioning are described in relation to one standard position called the anatomical position. Directional terms and body planes.

Anterior	In front of or front
Proximal	Closer or towards the trunk or the point of origin of the body part
Median	Midline of the body
Medial	Towards the median
Lateral	Away from median

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What is the terms of anatomy?

Directional terms

Anterior	In front of or front
Ventral	Towards the front of the body
Dorsal	Towards the back of the body
Distal	Away or farthest away from the trunk or the point of origin of the body part
Proximal	Closer or towards the trunk or the point of origin of the body part

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What are the 10 directional terms?

Anatomical Directional Terms

• Anterior: In front of, front.
• Posterior: After, behind, following, toward the rear.
• Distal: Away from, farther from the origin.
• Proximal: Near, closer to the origin.
• Dorsal: Near the upper surface, toward the back.
• Ventral: Toward the bottom, toward the belly.
• Superior: Above, over.

What are the 4 body positions?

The four main anatomical positions are: supine, prone, right lateral recumbent, and left lateral recumbent. Each position is used in different medical circumstances.

Is dorsal a top or bottom?

The dorsal (from Latin dorsum ‘back’) surface of an organism refers to the back, or upper side, of an organism. If talking about the skull, the dorsal side is the top. The ventral (from Latin venter ‘belly’) surface refers to the front, or lower side, of an organism.

Is the thumb medial to the pinky?

The pinky is medial to the thumb. The thigh joins to the lateral border of the pelvis. The thumb is lateral to the pinky.

Which directional term means lying face down?

Prone: With the front or ventral surface downward ( lying face down ), as opposed to supine.

Why do we use directional terms?

Up, Down, Side-to-Side: Directional Terms Like you use the cardinal directions to explain the location of certain regions (north, northwest, southeast, etc.), you use directional terms to describe the regions of the body. Image captured in AR using Human Anatomy Atlas.

Why are directional terms in anatomy important?

Directional terms provide precise descriptions of a structure’s location. They allow a description of anatomical position by comparing location relative to other structures or within the rest of the body. Superior structures are toward the head (cranial) while inferior (caudal) structures are toward the feet.

Why do we need to use directional terms and body?

Directional anatomical terms are essential for describing the relative locations of different body structures. For instance, an anatomist might describe one band of tissue as “inferior to” another or a physician might describe a tumor as “superficial to” a deeper body structure.

What are the three types of anatomy?

Key Points

• Gross anatomy is subdivided into surface anatomy (the external body), regional anatomy (specific regions of the body), and systemic anatomy (specific organ systems).
• Microscopic anatomy is subdivided into cytology (the study of cells) and histology (the study of tissues).

What are the 9 regions of the body?

The nine regions are smaller than the four abdominopelvic quadrants and include the right hypochondriac, right lumbar, right illiac, epigastric, umbilical, hypogastric (or pubic), left hypochondriac, left lumbar, and left illiac divisions. The perineum is sometimes considered to be the tenth division.

What are the 78 organs in the human body?

What Are the 78 Organs of the Human Body?

• Adrenal glands.
• Anus.
• Appendix.
• Bladder (urinary)
• Bones.
• Bone marrow (spongy part of the bone)
• Brain.
• Bronchi (tubes in the lungs)