1. Language of Anatomy
Anatomists have a set of reference terms that are universally understood.
Allows body structures to be located & identified with minimum words and great clarity.

2. Anotomical Position
Anatomists/doctors use a universally accepted position, the anatomical position when referring to the body.
standing erect, facing forward, arms down at the side, with the palms turned forward

3. Surface Anatomy (External Landmarks)
Body surfaces have many visible landmarks. (35 from lab)
Anterior (front) landmarks
Posterior (back) landmarks
Two division
Axial – head, neck and trunk
Appendicular – limbs and attachment to axis

4. Body Orientation & Direction (Terms have different meaning for quadrupeds and bipeds)
Superior/Inferior
Above/below
Ex: Standing on your head, your head is _______ to your neck.
Inferior
Anterior/Posterior
Front/back
Ex: Your chest is _________ to your shoulder blades.
Anterior

5. Body Orientation & Direction
Medial/Lateral
Toward midline/away from midline
Ex: The cheeks are ________ to the tongue.
Lateral
Dorsal/Ventral
Backside/belly side
Ex: Your naval is on the _________ side of the body.
Ventral

6. Body Orientation & Direction
Superficial (external)/Deep (internal)
Toward or at the body surface/away from the body surface
Ex: The skin is ____________ to the skeletal muscles.
Superficial
Cephalad (cranial)/Caudal
Toward head/toward the tail or feet
Humans: interchangeable with superior and inferior
Quadrupeds: interchangeable with anterior and posterior

7. Body Orientation & Direction
Proximal/Distal
Nearer the trunk or attached end/farther from the trunk or point of attachment, can also be used to indicate regions (closer to or farther from the head) of internal tubular organs.
Ex: The knee is ________ to the toes.
Proximal
Ex: The small intestines is ________ to the large intestines.

8. Biped Directional Terms
Cephalad
(cranial)
caudal

9. Body Planes & Sections
To make observations of internal structures during dissection, it is necessary to make sections or cuts.
Sections/cuts are made through the body wall or through an organ along an imaginary surface or line called a plane.

10. Body Planes & Sections Sagittal (longitudinal) plane
divides a body or organ vertically into right and left parts.
Median/midsagittal plane
The right and left parts are equal
Parasagittal Plane
The right and left parts are
unequal

11. Body Planes & Sections Frontal (coronal) plane
divides the body or organ vertically into front (anterior) and rear (posterior) parts.

12. Body Planes & Sections Transverse (cross section) plane
divides the body or organ horizontally into top (superior) and bottom (inferior) parts.

13. Body Planes

14. Biped vs. Quadruped Directional Language of Anatomy and Planes
Label the following diagrams of a biped and quadruped with the following terms.
cranial, caudal, dorsal, ventral, anterior, posterior, superior, inferior
What are caudal and cephalad interchangable with in a biped vs. a quadruped?
What parts are the biped and quadruped divided into for a coronal, transverse and sagittal plane?

15. Biped Directional Terms
Cephalad
(cranial)
caudal

16. Quadruped Directions

17. Quadruped Planes & Sections (Different From Bipeds)
At the left, from top to bottom, observe a sagittal section, a transverse section, and a dorsal plane section through a dog head.
A sagittal section divides the cadaver into right & left parts. A transverse section divides the cadaver into cranial & caudal parts. A dorsal plane (frontal plane) section is cut parallel to the back, dividing the cadaver into top (dorsal) & bottom (ventral) parts.

19. Transverse, Sagittal, Coronal

20. Body Cavities Axial portion of body Dorsal Body Cavity
two large cavities, protects organs.
Dorsal Body Cavity
Cranial cavity – brain
Vertebral (spinal) cavity – spinal cord
Ventral Body Cavity
Thoracic cavity (superior the diaphragm) – heart, lungs
Abdominopelvic cavity (inferior the diaphragm) –
Abdominal cavity - stomach, intestines, liver
Pelvic cavity - reproductive organs, bladder, rectum

21. Body Cavities

23. Body Systems/Organs

24. Reference Human Anatomy & Physiology Laboratory Manual