1. Body Cavities-Planes-Regions & Directional Terms
updated, fall 2008

2. Body Cavities-Planes-Regions & Directional Terms
Spaces within the body containing vital organs
Two MAIN Cavities
Dorsal – (posterior) on the back side of the body
Cranial – holds the brain
Spinal Cavity – holds the spinal cord
Ventral– (anterior) on the belly side of the body
Thoracic – holds the heart, lungs, and major blood vessels
Abdominal – holds organs of the digestive & urinary systems
Stomach, small intestines, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, spleen, & part of the large intestine
Pelvic – contains the urinary bladder, reproductive organs, rectum, remaining part of the large intestine & the appendix
Dorsal – one long cavity
Ventral – larger than the Dorsal cavity
Diaphragm – muscle separating the thoracic & abdominal cavities
Abdominopelvic cavity – the abdominal & pelvic cavities combined
updated, fall 2008

3. Body Cavities-Planes-Regions & Directional Terms
updated, fall 2008

4. Body Cavities-Planes-Regions & Directional Terms
BODY PLANES
updated, fall 2008

5. Body Cavities-Planes-Regions & Directional Terms
BODY PLANES
Fixed lines of reference along which the body is often divided or sectioned
Allows for a three-dimensional perspective
updated, fall 2008

6. SAGITTAL - MEDIAL PLANE
Body Cavities-Planes-Regions & Directional Terms
SAGITTAL - MEDIAL PLANE
Divides the body into two parts
Left & Right
updated, fall 2008

7. Body Cavities-Planes-Regions & Directional Terms
MIDSAGITTAL PLANE
Divides the body into EQUAL left and right halves
updated, fall 2008

8. FRONTAL or CORONAL PLANE
Body Cavities-Planes-Regions & Directional Terms
FRONTAL or CORONAL PLANE
Divides the body into anterior and posterior sections
updated, fall 2008

9. Body Cavities-Planes-Regions & Directional Terms
TRANSVERSE PLANE
Divides body into top (superior) and bottom (inferior) parts
updated, fall 2008

10. Body Cavities-Planes-Regions & Directional Terms
updated, fall 2008

11. Body Cavities-Planes-Regions & Directional Terms
ANATOMICAL POSITION
Standing erect
Facing forward
Arms at side
Palms forward
updated, fall 2008

12. Body Cavities-Planes-Regions & Directional Terms
ANTERIOR/VENTRAL
Means to the front (belly) side of the body
updated, fall 2008

13. Body Cavities-Planes-Regions & Directional Terms
POSTERIOR/DORSAL
Means the back side of the body
updated, fall 2008

14. Body Cavities-Planes-Regions & Directional Terms
SUPERIOR
Above another structure
Stomach is superior to the large intestine
updated, fall 2008

15. Body Cavities-Planes-Regions & Directional Terms
INFERIOR
Below another structure
Vagina is inferior to the uterus
updated, fall 2008

16. Body Cavities-Planes-Regions & Directional Terms
LATERAL
Means away from the midline
The eyes are lateral to the nose
updated, fall 2008

17. Body Cavities-Planes-Regions & Directional Terms
MEDIAL
Means middle or near the midline
The nose is medial to the eyes
updated, fall 2008

18. Body Cavities-Planes-Regions & Directional Terms
PROXIMAL
Means near the point of attachment to the trunk
Proximal end of the femur (near the hip bone)
updated, fall 2008

19. Body Cavities-Planes-Regions & Directional Terms
DISTAL
Means away from the point of attachment to the trunk
Distal end of the femur (near the patella)
updated, fall 2008

20. Body Cavities-Planes-Regions & Directional Terms
updated, fall 2008

21. Body Cavities-Planes-Regions & Directional Terms
SUPINE
Means lying on the back facing upward
UP is in the word supine
updated, fall 2008

22. Body Cavities-Planes-Regions & Directional Terms
PRONE
Means lying on the stomach facing downward
updated, fall 2008

23. Body Cavities-Planes-Regions & Directional Terms
DEEP
Means through the surface
updated, fall 2008

24. Body Cavities-Planes-Regions & Directional Terms
SUPERFICIAL
Means on or near the surface
updated, fall 2008

25. Body Cavities-Planes-Regions & Directional Terms
CRANIAL CEPHALIC
Meaning toward the head
updated, fall 2008

26. Body Cavities-Planes-Regions & Directional Terms
CAUDAL
Meaning toward the feet
updated, fall 2008

27. Body Cavities-Planes-Regions & Directional Terms
Cephalic or Cranial
Transverse
Caudal
updated, fall 2008