Key Anatomical Terms Handout (9/19/2016)

Human Anatomy and Physiology 1

(Christopher Richardson, Ph.D., Biology Department, Northeastern University)
(See AP1lectureNU2016fallanatomicalterms ppt)
Scientific terms: typically composed of one or more of these elements: roots, combining vowels,
prefixes, and suffixes.
1. A root has the core meaning of the word: In cardiology, the root is cardi- (heart).
2. A combining vowel is often inserted to join roots, such as the first o in cytochrome and the a
in ligament.
3. A prefix may modify the core meaning, such as epigastric, hypogastric, endogastric, etc.
4. A suffix may also modify the core meaning, such as microscope, microscopy, microscopist.
5. Being able to break down a word into its components helps one to understand and remember
its meaning, but this approach is no help with acronymswords that are formed from the
first letter or letters of a group of words, such as calmodulin which comes from the phrase calcium modulating protein.
Plurals, adjectival, and possessive forms of medical terms follow a set of rules based on the
languages of origin (SEE slide 1)
For example, ae is pronounced eye so axillae is axilleye but otherwise pronunciation is as it
appears.
Plural forms not always easy: for example: ovary ovaries, cortex cortices, corpus corpora,
epididymis epididymides (epi-dida-meades)
Adjectival form of same word: for example: Brachium denotes the arm, and brachii means of
the arm, etc. while Digiti means of a single finger or toe, but digitorum means of multiple
fingers or toes, etc.
3 examples of positive, comparative, and superlative degrees of comparison: English large,
larger, and largest while in Latin - magnus means large, major means larger of 2, while maximus
is largest of 3 being compared
Following the Greek and Latin practice, adjectives are placed after the noun: for example,
foramen magnum or pectoralis major.
Anatomical Position (SEE slide 2): Person stands erect; Feet flat on floor; Arms at sides; and
palms, face & eyes facing forward (Standard frame of reference for anatomical descriptions &
dissection)
Forearm Positions (SEE slide 3): When supinated, palms face forward or upward and radius &
ulna are parallel while when pronated, palms face rearward or downward and radius & ulna are
crossed.
Anatomical Planes and Sections (SEE slides 4-5):
Sagittal plane divides body into right and left regions with median (midsagittal) plane dividing
body or organ into equal halves
1

Frontal (coronal) plane divides body into anterior (front) & posterior (back) portions
Transverse (horizontal) plane divides the body into superior (upper) & inferior (lower) portions
Directional Terms:
Ventral = towards front/belly; dorsal = towards back/spine
In humans, anterior = towards ventral side while posterior = towards dorsal side
In 4 legged animals: anterior (towards head) is different from ventral (towards belly); posterior
(towards tail) is different from dorsal (towards back)
Medial = towards medial plane; lateral = away from medial plane
Proximal = closer to point of attachment or origin; distal = farther from point of attachment or
origin
Superficial = closer to body surface; deep = farther from body surface
Cephalic = towards head/superior; rostral = towards forehead or nose; caudal = towards
tail/inferior
Body Regions:
Axial region = head, neck, & trunk; thoracic region = trunk above diaphragm; abdominal region
= trunk below diaphragm; divided into quadrants
Appendicular region = upper & lower limbs; upper limb: arm (brachial region), forearm
(antebrachial region), wrist (carpal region), hand (manual region), fingers (digits); lower limb:
thigh (femoral region), leg (crural region), ankle (tarsal region), foot (pedal region), toes (digits)
Abdominal quadrants and regions (SEE slide 6):
Need to know 4 quadrants
Need to know epigastric region: liver, gallbladder; umbilical region: large and small intestine;
hypogastric region: urinary bladder and urethra but do not need to know: hypochondria, lumbar,
inguinal regions
Anatomical terminology:
anterior/ventral (SEE slide 7): know all but do not need to know: axillary, acromial, cubital,
palmar, coxal, patellar, dorsum, plantar
posterior/dorsal (SEE slide 8): know all but do not need to know: nuchal, dorsum, perineal,
popliteral, calcaneal
Major body cavities (SEE slides 9-12):
cranial cavity; vertebral canal; thoracic cavity; and abdominopelvic cavity: abdominal cavity and
pelvic cavity
All cavities lined by serous membranes (lubricating fluid producing membranes) and all filled
with viscera.
Cranial cavity contains brain and lined with meninges while vertebral canal contains the spinal
cord and lined with meninges.

Thoracic cavity has mediastinum - region between lungs has heart, major blood vessels,
esophagus, trachea, & thymus.
Pericardium double-layered sac wrapped around heart, which contains pericardial cavity,
which has pericardial fluid (note: heart is not in cavity; it is wrapped with this cavity; like
wrapped in a flat, wet balloon)
Pleura is double-layered sac wrapped around lungs, which contains pleural cavity, which has
pleural fluid (same as in heart)
Pelvic brim separates abdominal & pelvic cavities: abdominal cavity contains most digestive
organs, kidneys & ureters while pelvic cavity contains rectum, urinary bladder, urethra &
reproductive organs
Peritoneum is two-layered membrane, which lines the abdominopelvic cavity, which contains
peritoneal cavity which has peritoneal fluid.
Retroperitoneal is behind peritoneum (on posterior body wall with peritoneum on side of
organs): kidneys for example.
Intraperitoneal is within (organs are encircled by it): liver for example.
Organ system slides (SEE slides 13-16): Know principal functions of all organ systems (except
do not need to know for reproductive system) but at this time do not need to know principal
organs unless already stated otherwise. We will learn each set of organs as we learn the system.