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Introduction to Anatomy Anatomy and

Joseph Bejogan || September 2021 Physiology Lab
Transcriber: Rebueno, Jerry Mari S.

Anatomy
Language of Anatomy
• Exact terms are used for:
▪ Position
▪ Direction
▪ Regions
▪ Structure
Anatomical Position
• Person stands erect with feet together and eyes forward
• Palms face anteriorly with thumbs pointed away
• Right and left always refers to the specimen being
viewed
• Their ventral side is on the inferior side and the dorsal is
in the superior side
• In humans, ventral and anterior are the same and so is Planes and Sections
dorsal and posterior • Sagittal Plane
o runs vertically from top to bottom, divides left
area to right area
• Midsagittal Plane
o sagittal plane that runs through the center
• Parasagittal Plane
o sagittal plane that does not run through the
center
• Oblique Plane
o plane that is in any type of angle other than
vertical or horizontal
• Transverse Plane
o also known as “horizontal plane”
o divides the superior and inferior portions of the
body
• Frontal Plane
o also known as “coronal plane”
o plane that runs vertically from top to bottom that
divides the body to the anterior and posterior
side

Directional Terms
• Superior – towards the head
• Inferior – towards the feet / downwards
• Ventral/Anterior – front of the body
• Dorsal/Posterior – back of the body
• Medial – point closer to the middle
• Lateral – point farther from the middle
• Intermediate – point between two structures
• Proximal – point closer to the area of insertion
• Distal – point farther to the area of insertion
*Note: Proximal and Distal are only used on extremities
• Superficial
• Deep

JMR – 1BSMT4 – UST-L

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[AnaPhy with Pathophysiology] 1. Intro to Anatomy – Joseph Bejogan

Body Cavities
Cranial Cavity
• Formed by the cranial bone and encompasses the brain
Vertebral Canal
• Formed by the vertebral column and contains the spinal
cord and the beginnings of the spinal nerves
Thoracic Cavity
• Also known as the “chest cavity”
• Contains the pleural and pericardial cavities and the
mediastinum
➢ Pleural Cavity
o A potential space between the layers of the
pleura that surrounds the lungs
➢ Pericardial Cavity
o A potential space between the layers of the
pericardium that surrounds the heart
➢ Mediastinum
o Central portion of the thoracic cavity between
the lungs
o Extends from the sternum to the vertebral
column and from the first rib to the diaphragm
o Contains the heart, thymus, esophagus,
trachea, and several large blood vessels
Abdominopelvic Cavity
• Subdivided into abdominal and pelvic cavities
➢ Abdominal Cavity
o Contains the stomach, spleen, gallbladder,
small intestine, and most of the large intestine
o The serous membrane is called the
peritoneum
➢ Pelvic Cavity
o Contains the urinary bladder, portions of the
large intestines, and internal organs of
reproduction
Abdominopelvic Regions
Right hypochondriac Liver and Gallbladder
Epigastric Stomach
Left hypochondriac Diaphragm, Spleen and Stomach
Right lumbar Ascending Colon and areas of
the Small Intestine
Umbilical Small Intestines and the
Transverse Colon
Left lumbar Descending Colon and areas of
the Small Intestine
Right iliac (inguinal) Cecum and the Appendix
Hypogastric Areas of the Small intestine and
the Urinary bladder
Left iliac (inqguinal) Initial part of the Sigmoid Colon

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