1. “Body Organization -Anatomic Terminology”
Laboratory Exercise
“Body Organization -Anatomic Terminology”

2. Anatomic Terminology
In this exercise, you will understand anatomic terminology; the use of terms to describe the locations of body structures
Terms describing these body points should be familiar to you: directional (bipedal-2 legs and quadrupedal-4 legs), regional, planar and cavitated
This laboratory exercise correlates with Chapter 1 of your textbook.

3. What procedures are we doing?
We will define human anatomic terms.
Directional relates one structures locale to that of another.
Regional identifies what area of the body a structure is found in.
We will also define the different planes and cavities of the body

4. Resources available…
Anatomy and Physiology Laboratory Study Pages; submenu: anatomical terminology

5. Laboratory Lecture

6. Anatomical Terminology
Superficial anatomy provides anatomical landmarks; these are references to structures that we can touch and see (they are palpable)
The commonly accepted anatomical position is with the hands at the sides, palms facing forward, with the feet next to each other
Supine: lying down, face up
Prone: lying down, face down

7. Figure 1-5a Anatomical Landmarks (Part 1 of 2).
Supine:
Lay down
Face up
Ipsilateral?
Contralateral?

8. Prone: Lay down Face down
Figure 1-5b Anatomical Landmarks (Part 1 of 2).
Prone:
Lay down
Face down

9. Regional Terms
Regional terms identify what area of the body a structure is found in (this is a references term)
An important example is in the abdominopelvic cavity, which contains:
Four Abdominopelvic quadrants, with
Nine Abdominopelvic regions
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10. Abdominopelvic Quadrants
Right Upper
Quadrant
(RUQ)
Left Upper
Quadrant
(LUQ)
Right Lower
Quadrant
(RLQ)
Left Lower
Quadrant
(LLQ) a
Abdominopelvic quadrants. The four
abdominopelvic quadrants are formed by two
perpendicular lines that intersect at the navel. The
terms for these quadrants, or their abbreviations, are
most often used in clinical discussions.

11. Abdominopelvic Regions.
Right
hypochondriac
region
Left
hypochondriac
region
Epigastric
region
Right lumbar
region
Umbilical
region
Left lumbar
region
Hypogastric
(pubic)
region
Right
inguinal
region
Left inguinal
region b
Abdominopelvic regions. The nine abdominopelvic
regions provide more precise regional descriptions.

12. Abdominopelvic Quadrants and Regions.
Liver
Stomach
Gallbladder
Spleen
Large intestine
Small intestine
Appendix
Urinary
bladder c
Anatomical relationships. The relationship between
the abdominopelvic quadrants and regions and the
locations of the internal organs are shown here.

13. There are many regional terms…
(I have hi-lited just a few on the following pages)

14. Figure 1-5a Anatomical Landmarks (Part 1 of 2).
Supine:
Lay down
Face up

15. Prone: Lay down Face down
Figure 1-5b Anatomical Landmarks (Part 1 of 2).
Prone:
Lay down
Face down

16. Directional Terms
Directional terms describe where one structure is in relation to another (anatomical reference based on a subject); here are some examples…
Ipsilateral means the structures are on the same side of the body
Contralateral means the structures are on opposite sides of the body
Intermediate means one structure is between two other structures
Proximal is close to a pivot point
Distal is far from the pivot point
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17. Contralateral? Ipsilateral? Directional Terms
Superior: Above; at a higher level (in the human body, toward the head)
The head is superior to the knee.
Superior
Right
Left
Cranial or Cephalic
Toward the head
The cranial, or cephalic, border of
the pelvis is superior to the thigh.
Proximal
Toward an
attached base
The shoulder is
proximal to the
wrist.
Posterior or Dorsal
Anterior or Ventral
Posterior: The back
surface
Anterior: The front
surface
Dorsal: The back.
(equivalent to posterior
when referring to the
human body)
Ventral: The belly
side. (equivalent to
anterior when
referring to the human
body)
The scapula (shoulder
blade) is located
posterior
to the rib cage.
The umbilicus (navel)
is on the
anterior (or ventral)
surface of the trunk.
Lateral
Medial
Away
from the
midline
Toward
the
midline
Proximal
Caudal
Distal
Toward the tail;
(coccyx in
humans)
Away from an
attached base
The fingers are
distal to the
wrist.
The hips are
caudal to the
waist.
Contralateral?
Ipsilateral?
OTHER DIRECTIONAL TERMS
Superficial
Distal
At, near, or relatively close
to the body surface
The skin is superficial to
underlying structures.
Deep
Toward the interior of the
body; farther from the surface
The bone of the thigh is deep
to the surrounding skeletal
muscles. a
Anterior view b
Lateral view
Inferior: Below; at a lower level; toward the feet
The knee is inferior to the hip.
Inferior

18. Body Planes There are 3 anatomical planes, each with sections
A Plane is a three-dimensional axis (x, y, z graph)
A Section is a slice that is parallel to a plane
This is used to visualize the internal organization and structure
It is important in different radiological techniques
MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imagry)
PET (Positon Emission Tomography)
CT (Computerized Tomography)
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19. Summary of Sectional Planes.
Pronounced: “sajedl”
Frontal or coronal
plane
Sagittal plane
Plane is oriented parallel to
long axis
Plane is oriented
parallel to long axis
A sagittal section separates right and left portions. You examine a sagittal section, but you section sagittally.
In a midsagittal section, the plane passes through the midline. It separates the body into equal right and left sides.
A parasagittal section misses the midline. It separates the body into unequal right and left sides.
A frontal, or coronal,
section separates
anterior and
posterior portions of
the body. Coronal
usually refers to
sections passing
through the skull.
Directional term:
frontally or coronally
Midsagittal plane
Directional term: sagittally
Transverse or
horizontal plane
Plane is oriented
perpendicular to long axis
Frontal plane
A transverse, or cross,
section separates
superior and inferior
portions of the body.
Transverse plane
(inferior view)
Directional term:
transversely or horizontally

20. Body Cavities There are two essential functions of body cavities
They protect organs from accidental shocks
They permit changes in the size and shape of internal organs (i.e. heart, lungs, etc…)
The main example is the ventral body cavity, which is termed the Coelom
It is composed of the thoracic cavity and the abdominopelvic cavity
These cavities are separated by the diaphragm
Another example is the dorsal body cavity, which contains the cavities of the brain and spinal cord
Lastly, there is the orbital body cavity

21. Abdominopelvic cavity
Relationships among the Subdivisions of the Body Cavities of the Trunk.
DORSAL
VENTRAL
Cranial
cavity
Pleural cavity
Thoracic cavity
Pericardial cavity
Vertebral
cavity
Diaphragm
Peritoneal cavity
Abdominopelvic cavity
Abdominal cavity
Pelvic cavity
A lateral view showing the body cavities of the trunk. The muscular diaphragm subdivides them into a superior thoracic cavity and an inferior abdominopelvic cavity. Four adult true body cavities are shown
Only one of the two pleural thoracic cavities can be shown in a sagittal section! 21

22. Let’s take a closer look at the
ventral body cavity…
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23. Relationships among the Subdivisions of the Ventral Body Cavity
• Provides protection • Allows organ movement • Linings prevent friction
Subdivides during development into
Thoracic Cavity
Abdominopelvic Cavity
Surrounded by the chest wall
and the diaphragm
Peritoneal Cavity
Extends throughout
the abdominal cavity and into the superior portion of the pelvic cavity
Right Pleural Cavity
Mediastinum
Left Pleural Cavity
trachea, esophagus, thymus and major
vessels, and also…
Surrounds right lung
Surrounds left lung
Abdominal Cavity
Pelvic Cavity
Contains the
urinary bladder, reproductive organs,
the end of the digestive tract and
the rectum
Pericardial cavity
Contains many digestive glands and organs
Surrounds heart 23

24. Ventral body cavity divisions
THORACIC CAVITY
You can see two pleural
cavities the the thorax in
a coronal section
pericardial
cavity
Heart in
Right
lung
in right
pleural
cavity
Left
lung
in left
pleural
cavity
Spine
VENTRAL BODY CAVITY
Mediastinum
ABDOMINOPELVIC CAVITY
Diaphragm
The abdominal cavity
contains many digestive
glands and organs
THORACIC CAVITY
Module 1.8 Body cavities protect internal organs and allow them to change shape
Retroperitoneal area*
Diaphragm
The pelvic cavity contains
the urinary bladder,
reproductive organs, and the
last portion of the digestive tract
ABDOMINOPELVIC
CAVITY
*The retroperitoneal space is an area posterior to the peritoneum and anterior to the muscular body wall. It contains the pancreas, kidneys, ureters, and parts of the digestive tract

25. Serous membranes line ventral body cavities and secrete serous fluid into the cavity
They consist of two continuous layers separated by a cavity
The visceral layer is an inner layer that covers the organ surface
The parietal layer is an opposing outer layer that covers inner surface of body wall or chamber
The cavity is the potential space between the visceral and parietal layers
This cavity is filled with serous fluid (lubricant)
Allows for smooth movement of the surrounded organ (i.e. heart, lung, digestive tract, etc…)
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26. Examples of Serous Membranes in Ventral Cavity
Pericardium: Surrounds the heart
Visceral pericardium
Parietal pericardium
Pleura : Surrounds each lung
Visceral pleura
Parietal pleura
Peritoneum: Surrounds most of abdominopelvic cavity
Visceral peritoneum
Parietal peritoneum
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27. The heart projects into the pericardial cavity like a fist pushed
Relationships among the Subdivisions of the Body Cavities of the Trunk.
Visceral
pericardium
Heart
Pericardial
cavity
Air space
Balloon
Parietal
pericardium b
The heart projects into the pericardial cavity like a fist pushed
into a balloon. The attachment site, corresponding to the wrist
of the hand, lies at the connection between the heart and
major blood vessels. The width of the pericardial cavity is
exaggerated here; normally the visceral and parietal layers
are separated only by a thin layer of pericardial fluid.

28. Relationships among the Subdivisions of the Body Cavities of the Trunk.
ANTERIOR
Pericardial
cavity
Heart
Parietal pleura (outside)
Right
lung
Pleural cavity (space)
Left
lung
Visceral pleura (inside)
Mediastinum
Spinal cord
POSTERIOR c
A transverse section through the thoracic cavity, showing the central
location of the pericardial cavity. The mediastinum and pericardial cavity
lie between the two pleural cavities. Note that this transverse or cross-
sectional view is oriented as though the observer were standing at the
subject’s feet and looking toward the subject’s head. This inferior view of
a transverse section is the standard presentation for clinical images.
Unless otherwise noted, transverse or cross-sectional views in this text
use this same orientation (see Spotlight Figure 1-10).