Overview
This tutorial introduces basic anatomical terminology used to describe the positions and relationships of body structures, focusing on anatomical position, planes, and directional terms.
Anatomical Position
- The anatomical position features standing upright, facing forward, palms out, forearms supinated, and feet forward.
- All anatomical descriptions reference structures as if the body is in this position.
Anatomical Planes
- The sagittal plane divides the body into left and right parts.
- The median sagittal plane divides the body equally into right and left halves.
- The coronal plane divides the body into anterior (front) and posterior (back) parts, running vertically.
- The transverse (axial/horizontal) plane divides the body into superior (upper) and inferior (lower) parts.
Key Directional Terms
- Anterior means toward the front; posterior means toward the back.
- Medial is closer to the midline; lateral is farther from the midline.
- Superior is closer to the head/top; inferior is closer to the feet/bottom.
- Superficial means closer to the body surface; deep means further from the surface.
- Proximal is closer to the trunk or origin; distal is farther from the trunk or origin.
Examples and Applications
- The sternum is anterior to the heart and medial to the ribs.
- The little finger is medial to the thumb (in anatomical position).
- The nose is superior to the chest; the knees are superior to the feet.
- The skin is superficial to muscles; the heart is deep to the skin.
- The shoulder is proximal to the elbow; the phalanges are distal to the elbow.
- In the digestive system, the mouth is proximal, the anus is distal.
Specialized Terms (Nervous System)
- In the spine: dorsal = posterior, ventral = anterior.
- In the brain: rostral = anterior, caudal = posterior, dorsal = superior, ventral = inferior.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Anatomical Position — Standard body stance used for reference in anatomy.
- Sagittal Plane — Divides the body into left and right.
- Coronal Plane — Divides the body into anterior and posterior.
- Transverse Plane — Divides the body into superior and inferior.
- Anterior/Posterior — Toward the front/back of the body.
- Medial/Lateral — Toward/away from the midline.
- Superior/Inferior — Toward the head/toward the feet.
- Superficial/Deep — Closer to/further from the surface.
- Proximal/Distal — Closer to/further from the origin or trunk.
- Dorsal/Ventral — Back/front (mainly in nervous system).
- Rostral/Caudal — Toward the nose/toward the tail (mainly in the brain).
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review and memorize key anatomical terms and their definitions.
- Practice identifying anatomical planes and positions on diagrams or models.