VIDEO
CONTENT
QUIZ
MATERIALS
Anatomical Position
Body Planes
Directional Terms
Anatomical Position
- The anatomical position is a standard stance used to describe the body.
- In this position, the body is upright, directly facing the observer, feet flat and directed forward.
- The upper limbs are at the body’s sides with the palms facing forward.
The anatomical position is a universally accepted standard used in the study of anatomy. It provides a consistent point of reference that helps avoid confusion when describing the locations of body parts. The body is assumed to be standing upright, facing forward, with arms at the sides and palms facing forward. This position is used even when the actual position of the body differs, ensuring consistency in anatomical descriptions.
Body Planes
- Coronal Plane: A vertical plane dividing the body into front (anterior) and back (posterior) sections.
- Sagittal Plane: A vertical plane dividing the body into left and right sections. The median sagittal plane specifically divides the body into equal left and right halves.
- Transverse Plane: A horizontal plane dividing the body into upper (superior) and lower (inferior) sections.
Body planes are hypothetical geometric planes used to describe the location of structures in human anatomy. They are applied to the human body in the anatomical position. These planes are particularly useful in medical imaging, as they provide a standardized way of viewing and describing the locations of different body structures.
Directional Terms
- Superior (Cranial): Above or higher up.
- Inferior (Caudal): Below or lower down.
- Anterior (Ventral): Front or toward the front.
- Posterior (Dorsal): Back or toward the back.
- Medial: Toward the midline.
- Lateral: Toward the side.
- Proximal: Closer to the point of attachment or origin.
- Distal: Further from the point of attachment or origin.
- Left and Right: Pertaining to the left or right side of the body.
- Superficial: Toward the body surface.
- Deep: Toward the body core.
- Central: Situated at the center.
- Peripheral: Situated away from the center.
- Ulnar: Pertaining to the ulna or the inner aspect of the forearm.
- Radial: Pertaining to the radius or the outer aspect of the forearm.
- Rostral: Toward the head.
- Palmar: Pertaining to the palm of the hand.
- Plantar: Pertaining to the sole of the foot.
Directional terms are used to describe the relative locations of different body structures. These terms provide a precise way to describe the position of one body part in relation to another. 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. These terms are always used in reference to the body in the anatomical position, regardless of the actual position of the body.
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