1.6 The Language of Anatomy

• What do anatomical maps identify in the human body?

  Prominent landmarks and their distances
• What is the anatomical term for the arm?

  Brachium
• What is the standard anatomical position?


  Standing with legs together, feet flat, hands at the sides, and palms facing forward
• What is the term for a person lying face up in the anatomical position?

  Supine
• What is the term for a person lying face down in the anatomical position?

  Prone
• What are the key anatomical landmarks and their corresponding terms?

  • Nasus: Nose (nasal)
  • Oculus: Eye (orbital or ocular)
  • Auris: Ear (otic)
  • Brachium: Arm (brachial)
  • Abdomen: Abdomen (abdominal)
  • Femur: Thigh (femoral)
• Why is the anatomical position important in anatomy?

  It serves as the standard reference for anatomical descriptions
• What does the term "medial" refer to in anatomical directions?

  Toward the midline of the body
• What does the term "lateral" refer to in anatomical directions?

  Away from the midline of the body
• What does "proximal" mean in anatomical terms?

  Toward an attached base
• What does "distal" mean in anatomical terms?

  Away from an attached base
• What does "superior" mean in anatomical terms?

  Above or at a higher level in the human body
• What does "inferior" mean in anatomical terms?

  Below or at a lower level
• What does "superficial" refer to in anatomical terms?

  Near or relatively close to the body surface
• What does "deep" refer to in anatomical terms?

  Toward the interior of the body; farther from the surface
• What are the two methods used to describe the abdominopelvic regions?

  1. Abdominopelvic quadrants (four sections)

  • Useful for describing pain and injuries

  1. Abdominopelvic regions (nine sections)

  • More precise for locating internal organs
• What is the significance of knowing the location of pain in the abdominopelvic quadrants?


  It helps clinicians determine the possible cause of the pain
• What is the term for the area of the body that includes the navel?

  Umbilical region
• How do anatomical directions use the anatomical position as a reference?

  All descriptions refer to the body in the anatomical position
• What does the term "anterior" refer to in anatomical terms?

  The front of the body
• What does the term "posterior" refer to in anatomical terms?

  The back of the body
• What does "ventral" refer to in anatomical terms?

  The abdominal side of the body
• What does "dorsal" refer to in anatomical terms?

  The back side of the body
• What does "caudal" refer to in anatomical terms?

  Toward the tail or coccyx in humans
• What does "cranial" or "cephalic" refer to in anatomical terms?

  Toward the head
• What does "lateral" mean in anatomical terms?

  Away from the midline of the body
• What does "medial" mean in anatomical terms?

  Toward the midline of the body
• What are the two methods used to describe the abdominopelvic regions?

  1. Abdominopelvic quadrants (four sections)

  • Useful for describing pain and injuries

  1. Abdominopelvic regions (nine sections)

  • More precise for locating internal organs
• What does the word "anatomy" mean in Greek?


  "To cut apart"
• Why is it important to understand sectional anatomy?

  It helps to visualize the relationships between parts of a three-dimensional object.
• What are the three sectional planes used to describe a slice through a three-dimensional object?

  Frontal, sagittal, and transverse planes.
• How does the frontal plane divide the body?

  It divides the body into anterior and posterior sections.
• What is a midsagittal section?

  A midsagittal section divides the body into roughly equal left and right halves.
• What is the difference between a midsagittal section and a parasagittal section?

  A midsagittal section passes through the midline, while a parasagittal section runs parallel to the midsagittal line.
• What does the transverse plane do?

  The transverse plane lies at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the body, dividing it into upper and lower sections.
• What is serial reconstruction in sectional anatomy?

  It is a process of making a series of sections at small intervals to analyze complex structures.
• What is the ventral body cavity responsible for?

  It contains organs of the respiratory, cardiovascular, digestive, urinary, and reproductive systems.
• How is the ventral body cavity subdivided?

  It is subdivided into the thoracic cavity and the abdominopelvic cavity.
• What separates the thoracic cavity from the abdominopelvic cavity?

  The diaphragm.
• What are the internal organs that project into the body cavities called?


  Viscera.