1. Anatomical Position & Directional Terms

2. Body erect Arms to side Palms forward Head & neck forward
Anatomic Position
Body erect
Arms to side
Palms forward
Head & neck forward

3. Directional Terms #1 Anterior/Ventral Posterior/Dorsal Medial/Lateral
Internal/External
Proximal/Distal
Superior/Inferior
Cranial/Caudal
Directional Terms
Anterior/Ventral: in front
Posterior/Dorsal: in back
Medial: toward the midline
Lateral: toward the side
Internal: within body
External: outside the body
Proximal: closest to the point of origin
Distal: farther from the point of origin
Superior: upper or above
Inferior: lower
Cranial: towards the head
Caudal: towards the tailbone

4. Directional Terms Flexion/Extension Afferent/Efferent
Adduction/Abduction
Eversion/Inversion
Pronation/Supination
Deep/Superficial
Plantar/Palmar
Flexion: decreasing the angle between two bones
Extension: increasing the angle between two bones
Afferent: carrying toward a center
Efferent: carrying away or away from a center
Adduction: moving toward the midline
Abduction: moving away from the midline
Eversion: turning a body part outward
Inversion: turning a body part inward
Pronation: turning a body part downward
Supination: turning a body part upward ( as in shrug shoulders, palms up, “what’s up?”)
Deep: away from the body surface, more internal
Superficial: toward or at the body surface
Plantar: toward the sole of the foot
Palmar: toward the palm of the hand

5. Sagittal Medial/Mid-sagittal Coronal/Frontal Transverse Body Planes
Sagittal: divides the body or organ vertically into right and left unequal parts
Medial/Mid-sagittal: divides the body or organ vertically into equal right and left parts
Coronal/Frontal: divides the body or organ vertically into anterior and posterior parts
Transverse: divides the body or organ horizontally or into cranial/caudal parts

6. Body Cavities Ventral Dorsal Thoracic Abdominopelvic Cranial Spinal
Ventral (Anterior)
Thoracic: chest, superior to the diaphragm
Right pleural: right lung
Left pleural: left lung
Mediastinum: heart (in pericardial cavity), trachea, right/left bronchus, esophagus, thymus gland, aorta/aortic arch, vena cava
Abdominopelvic: inferior to diaphragm
Abdominal: liver, gallbladder, stomach, pancreas, intestines, spleen, kidneys, ureters
Pelvic: bladder, female reproductive organs (uterus, fallopian tubes, ovaries), male reproductive organs (prostate, seminal vesicles, part of vas deferens), part of large intestine (colon, rectum)
Dorsal (Posterior)
Cranial: houses the brain
Spinal: houses the spinal cord

7. Body Regions
Head
Neck
Thorax
Abdominal
Posterior Trunk
Extremities

8. Head Regions #1 Parietal Frontal Occipital Temporal Auricular Buccal
Orbital
Head
Parietal: top of head towards the back and sides
Frontal: forehead
Occipital: base of skull
Temporal: sides of head
Auricular: ear
Buccal: cheek
Orbital: eye socket
Mastoid: behind the ear
Nasal: bridge of nose
Mental: chin
Submental: beneath the chin
Maxillary: upper jaw
Mandibular: lower jaw
Zygomatic: cheek bone

9. Head Regions #2 Mastoid Nasal Mental Submental Maxillary Mandibular
Zygomatic

10. Larynx Trachea Cervical Neck Regions Neck Larynx: front of neck
Trachea: front of neck
Cervical: back of neck

11. Thorax Axillary Clavicular Sternal Mammary Costal Scapular Pectoral
Deltoid
Thorax
Axillary: armpit
Clavicular: collar bone
Sternal: mid-chest
Mammary: breast
Costal: rib
Scapular: shoulder blade
Pectoral: chest
Deltoid: shoulder area

12. Abdominal Regions Hypochondriac Epigastric Umbilical Hypogastric
Inguinal/Iliac
Abdominal
Hypochondriac: under the cartilage of the ribs, right and left
Epigastric: over/above the stomach
Umbilical: surrounding the navel, belly button
Hypogastric: under/below the stomach
Inguinal/iliac: groin, right and left

13. LUQ RUQ LLQ RLQ Abdominal Quadrants Abdominal Quadrants
RUQ: liver, gallbladder, large intestine
LUQ: stomach, spleen, pancreas, large intestine
RLQ: appendix, large intestine, ovary, fallopian tube
LLQ: large intestine, ovary, fallopian tube

14. Posterior Trunk Regions
Nuchal
Cervical
Thoracic
Lumbar
Sacral
Coccyx
Gluteal
Posterior Trunk
Nuchal: back of neck
Cervical: neck
Thoracic: back of trunk
Lumbar: at small of back, lower back, waist area, lateral mid-abdomen, right and left
Sacral: pelvis, tailbone area
Coccyx: tailbone
Gluteal: buttocks

15. Extremities #1 Brachial Antecubital Olecranon Carpal Phalanges Manual
Pollex
Extremities
Brachial: upper arm
Antecubital: front of elbow
Olecranon: back of elbow
Carpal: wrist
Phalanges: fingers, toes
Manual: hand
Pollex: thumb
Femoral: thigh
Patellar: front of knee
Popliteal: behind the knee
Tarsal: ankle
Pedal: foot
Calcaneal: heel of foot

16. Extremities #2
Femoral
Patellar
Popliteal
Tarsal
Pedal
Calcaneal