Overview
This lecture covers essential medical terminology related to anatomical directions, focusing on terms commonly used in EMT and paramedic training.
Anatomical Directions: Front and Back
- Anterior refers to the front of the body; posterior refers to the back.
- "A" in anterior comes before "P" in posterior, making it easy to remember which is the front and back.
- Ventral also means front, while dorsal means back.
- The dorsal fin on a dolphin is on its back, which helps remember dorsal as "back."
- Ventral relates to the front, similar to "ventana" (window) in Spanish; think of the eyes as windows in the front.
Anatomical Directions: Up and Down
- Superior means above or towards the top.
- Inferior means below or towards the bottom.
- Superior is considered higher or better (like placing a superior object on a shelf), while inferior is lower (like discarding an inferior object on the ground).
Anatomical Directions: Side, Near, and Far
- Lateral means on the side of something (e.g., lateral thigh is the side of the thigh).
- Proximal describes something closer to the point of origin or trunk (e.g., shoulder is proximal to the hand).
- Distal describes something farther from the point of origin (e.g., hand is distal to the shoulder).
- The knee is proximal to the foot; the foot is distal to the knee.
Application in Practice
- EKG terminology often uses these terms, such as anterior view (front of the heart), posterior view (back), lateral view (side), and inferior view (bottom).
Key Terms & Definitions
- Anterior — front of the body
- Posterior — back of the body
- Ventral — front of the body (alternative to anterior)
- Dorsal — back of the body (alternative to posterior)
- Superior — above or uppermost
- Inferior — below or lowermost
- Lateral — toward the side
- Proximal — closer to the point of origin
- Distal — farther from the point of origin
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review and memorize these key terms before starting EMT or paramedic school.
- Practice identifying these anatomical directions on your own body or diagrams.