Planes and Positions

• If the body is lying face up, it is in the supine position.

  
• If the body is lying face down, it is in the prone position.

  
• Anterior view: At or near the front of the body.

  
• Posterior view: At or near the back of the body.

  
• Midline: the imaginary line that divides the body into right and left halves.

  A) Medial

  B) Lateral

  
• Superior view: Situated toward the head and further away from the feet; the upper part of a structure.

  
• Inferior view: Situated nearer to the feet than the head; the lower part of a structure.

  
• Deep: Away from the surface of the body

  Superficial: Close to the surface of the body

  A) Deep

  B) Superficial

  
• Distal: Farther from the origination of a structure.

  Proximal: Nearer to the origination of a structure.

  A) Distal

  B) Proximal

  
• Frontal (coronal) plane: Divides the body into front and back portions.

  
• Tranverse plane: Divides the body into superior (upper) and inferior (lower) portions.

  
• Oblique plane: Passes through a structure or the entire body at an angle.

  
• Sagittal plane: Divides a structure or the body vertically into right or left portions.