1. ANATOMICAL TERMINOLOGY

2. ESSENTIAL QUESTION What do the terms of relative position describe?
The location of one body part with respect to another

3. DIRECTIONAL TERMS
Superior-Toward the head end or upper part of a structure, or the body; above.
Ex: head is superior to the abdomen
Inferior0Away from the head end or toward the lower part of a structure or the body; below
Ex: the navel in inferior to the chin.

4. ANTERIOR & POSTERIOR
Anterior (ventral) – toward or at the front of the body; in front of
Ex: the sternum is anterior to the spine.
Posterior (dorsal) – toward or at the back of the body; behind.
Ex: the heart is posterior to the sternum.

5. MEDIAL & LATERAL
Medial – toward or at the midline of the body; on the inner side of
Ex: the heart is medial to the arm.
Lateral – away from the midline of the body; on the outer side of
Ex: the arms are lateral to the chest.

6. PROXIMAL AND DISTAL
Proximal- closer to the origin of the body part or the point of attachment of a limb to the body trunk.
Ex: the elbow is proximal to the wrist.
Distal-farther from the origin of a body part or the point of attachment of a limb to the body trunk.
Ex; the knee is distal to the thigh

7. SUPERFICIAL & DEEP
Superficial (external)- toward or at the body surface.
Ex: the skin is superficial to the skeletal muscles.
Deep (internal)- away from the body surface; more internal
Ex: the lungs are deep to the skin

8. ANATOMICAL POSITION
Standing erect, face forward, upper limbs at sides, palms forward.

9. PLANES OF THE BODY
Sagittal: Divides the body into right & left portions.
Transverse: (or horizontal): divides the body into superior and inferior portions
Coronal(frontal): divides the body into anterior and posterior portions

10. BODY PLANES

11. KEYS
Use superior/inferior when moving from head to toe (up and down the body)
Use proximal/distal when referring to the limbs. (arms and legs)
Use superficial/deep when moving from the outside to inside the body (example skin to bones)
Use anterior/posterior when moving front to back or back to front of body.

12. PRACTICE
Use your knowledge of directional terms to relate the following structures to each other anatomically in a short sentence.
Example; toes to ankle = “The toes are distal to the ankle”

13. 1. scalp to skull
2. diaphragm to lung
3. heart to diaphragm
4. head to neck
5. wrist to hand
6. esophagus to vertebral column
7. brain to spinal cord
8. pelvis to thigh bone
9. small intestines to stomach
10. fingers to hand

14. 11. kneecap to knee joint
12. eyes to upper portion of nose
13. ears to head
14. vertebral column to trachea
15. fingernail to underlying skin