MEDTERM CHAPTER 5

• anterior means toward or at the front (belly) of the body
• posterior means toward or at the back of the body
• medial means toward the midline of the body
• lateral means toward the side of the body
• proximal means nearer to the point of attachment or to a given reference point
• distal means farther from the point of attachment or from a given reference point
• superior means above, in a higher position
• inferior means below, in a lower position
• cranial means toward the head
• caudal means toward the lower end of the spine; in humans, in an inferior direction
• superficial means closer to the surface of the body
• deep means closer to the center of the body
• frontal plane also called a coronal plane is made at right angles to the midline and divides the body into anterior and posterior parts
• sagittal plane passes from front to back and divided the body into right and left portions
• if the plane passes through the midline, it is a midsagittal or medial plane
• a transverse plane passes horizontally, dividing the body into superior and inferior parts
• internal organs are located within dorsal and ventral cavities
• dorsal cavity contains the brain in the cranial cavity
• the spinal cord in the spinal cavity
• the thoracic cavity is separated from the abdominal cavity by the diaphragm
• there is no anatomic separation between the abdominal cavity and the pelvic cavity, which together make up the abdominopelvic cavity
• the large membrane that lines the abdominopelvic cavity and covers the organs within it is the peritoneum
• epigastric region is located above the stomach
• umbilical region named for the umbilicus or navel
• hypogastric region is located below the stomach
• hypochondriac regions named for their positions near the ribs, specifically near the cartilages
• lumbar regions which are located near the small of the back
• iliac regions named for the upper bone of the hip, the ilium
• iliac region are also called the inguinal regions , with reference to the groin
• cranial is skull
• frontal is the medical term for forehead
• ocular is the medical term for eye
• oral is the medical term for mouth
• cephalic is the medical term for head
• facial is the medical term for face
• thoracic is the medical term for chest
• mammary is the medical term for breast
• brachial is the medical term for arm
• antebrachial is the medical term for forearm
• carpal is the medical term for wrist