ANATOMICAL TERMS are made up of roots, prefixes, and suffixes.

The root of a term often refers to an organ, tissue, or condition, whereas

the prefix or suffix often describes the root.

For example, in the disorder hypertension:

• prefix - “hyper-” means “high” or “over,”
• root word - “tension” refers to pressure, so the word
• “hypertension” refers to abnormally high blood pressure.

ANATOMICAL POSITION
To further increase precision, anatomists standardize the way in which they view the body. Just as maps are normally oriented with north
at the top, the standard body “map,” or anatomical position. (is that of the body standing upright, with the feet at shoulder width and
parallel, toes forward.)
ANATOMICAL POSITION - standard position.
BODY POSITION - Have an initial reference point.

REGIONAL TERMS
The human body’s numerous regions have specific terms to help increase precision. The term “brachium” or “arm” is reserved for the “upper
arm” and “antebrachium” or “forearm” is used rather than “lower arm.”

DIRECTIONAL TERMS
• Anterior (or ventral) Describes the front or direction toward the front of the body.
Ex. The toes are anterior to the foot.

• Posterior (or dorsal) Describes the back or direction toward the back of the body.
Ex. The popliteus is posterior to the patella.

• Superior (or cranial) describes a position above or higher than another part of the body proper.
Ex. The orbits are superior to the oris.

• Inferior (or caudal) describes a position below or lower than another part of the body proper; near or toward the tail (in humans, the
coccyx, or lowest part of the spinal column).
Ex. The pelvis is inferior to the abdomen.

• Lateral describes the side or direction toward the side of the body.
Ex. The thumb (pollex) is lateral to the digits.

• Medial describes the middle or direction toward the middle of the

body.
Ex. The hallux is the medial toe.

• Intermediate - Between a more medial and a more lateral surface

• Proximal describes a position in a limb that is nearer to the point of

attachment or the trunk of the body.
Ex. The brachium is proximal to the antebrachium.

• Distal describes a position in a limb that is farther from the point of

attachment or the trunk of the body.
Ex. The crus is distal to the femur.

• Superficial describes a position closer to the surface of the body.

Ex. The skin is superficial to the bones.

• Deep describes a position farther from the surface of the body.

Ex. The brain is deep to the skull.
Anterior ▪ The breastbone is anterior to the spine
▪ Your lips are anterior to your teeth
▪ The toe is anterior of the ankle
▪ The patella is located anteriorly in the lower limb.
Posterior ▪ The heart is posterior to the breastbone
▪ Tongue is posterior to your teeth.
Superior ▪ The forehead is superior to the nose.
▪ The nose is superior to the navel.
▪ The lips are superior to the chin.
▪ The knee is superior to the ankle.
▪ The head is superior to the neck.
Inferior ▪ The navel is inferior to the breastbone.
▪ The ribs are inferior to your head.
▪ The neck is inferior to the head
Lateral ▪ The arms are lateral to the chest
▪ The ears are lateral to your cheeks.
▪ The hand is lateral to the stomach.
▪ The shoulder is lateral to the neck.
▪ The eyes are lateral to the nose
Medial ▪ The heart is medial to the arm
▪ The cheeks are medial to the ears.
▪ The nose is medial to the eyes
▪ The brachial artery lies medial to the bicep’s tendon.
Intermediate ▪ The armpit is intermediate between the breastbone and shoulder
▪ The elbow is intermediate between the wrist and shoulder.
Proximal ▪ The elbow is proximal to the wrist (meaning that the elbow is closer to the
wrist)
▪ The thigh is proximal to the shinbone.
▪ The knee joint is proximal to the ankle joint.
▪ The scaphoid lies in the proximal row of carpal bones.
Distal ▪ The knee is distal to the thigh.
▪ The radius (forearm bone) is distal to the humerus (upper arm bone).
▪ The hand is distal to the shoulder joint.
▪ The wrist is distal to the elbow.
Superficial ▪ The skin is superficial to the skeleton
▪ The skin is superficial to the muscles.
Deep ▪ The lungs are deep to the ribcage
▪ The muscles are deep to the skin
BODY PLANES
Section – implies an actual cut or slice to reveal internal anatomy.

Frontal plane Plane – implies an imaginary flat surface passing through the body.
Three major anatomical planes are:
1. Sagittal plane – passes vertically through the body or an organ and divides it into
right and left portions.
▪ Midsagittal plane – divides the body or organ into equal halves.
- Plane vertically divides the body through the midline into two equal
Transverse plane left and right portions or halves.
2. Transverse (horizontal) plane – is the plane that divides the body or organ
horizontally into upper and lower portions.
- runs horizontally from right to left, dividing the body into superior and
inferior parts.
Sagittal Plane 3. Frontal planes – also extends vertically, but it is perpendicular to the sagittal
plane and divides the body into anterior (front) and posterior (back) portions.
- A frontal section of the head, for example, would divide it into one
portion bearing the face and another bearing the back of the head.

BODY CAVITY
o These cavities contain and protect delicate internal organs, and the ventral cavity allows for significant changes in the size and shape of
the organs as they perform their functions.
o Two body cavities: (Trunk)
1) Dorsal cavity – in which the brain and spinal cord are found.
- In which protects the fragile nervous system organs.
- Two main subdivisions:
▪ Cranial cavity - houses the brain (skull); is enclosed by
the cranium (braincase) and contains the brain.
▪ Spinal cavity - (or vertebral cavity) which runs within the
bony vertebral column, encloses the delicate spinal cord.
- brain and spinal cord are protected by the bones of the
skull and vertebral column and by cerebrospinal fluid, a
colorless fluid produced by the brain, which cushions the
brain and spinal cord within the posterior (dorsal) cavity.
2) Ventral Body Cavity – The more anterior and larger of the closed
body cavities.
- contains organs that are involved in maintaining homeostasis
or a constant internal environment within small ranges of
deviation.
- Two main subdivisions:
▪ Superior Thoracic Cavity – the spinal cord is essentially a
continuation of the brain, and the cranial and spinal cavities are
continuous with one another.
- contains the lungs and the heart, which is located in the mediastinum (is a partition containing the heart, thymus gland,
trachea, esophagus, and other structures.)
▪ Inferior Abdominopelvic Cavity – is the second subdivision of the ventral cavity. It contains the kidneys, stomach, liver and
gallbladder, small and large intestines, spleen, pancreas, and the ovaries and uterus in women.
- It is the largest cavity in the body. Although no membrane physically divides the abdominopelvic cavity, it can be useful to
distinguish between the:
▪ Abdominal cavity – the division that houses the digestive organs.
o contains the stomach, intestines, spleen, liver, and other organs.
▪ Pelvic cavity – the division that houses the organs of reproduction.
o lies in the bony pelvis and contains the urinary bladder, some reproductive organs, and the rectum.
QUADRANTS
A scheme commonly used by the medical personnel to divide the abdominal cavity into four
equals regions:

• Right Upper Quadrant

• Left Upper Quadrant
• Right Lower Quadrant
• Left Lower Quadrant
NINE REGIONS
Another system used mainly by anatomists to divide the abdominopelvic
cavity separately.
• Right Hypochondriac Region
• Epigastric Region
• Left Hypochondriac Region
• Right Lumbar Region
• Umbilical Region
• Left Lumbar Region
• Right Iliac Region
• Hypogastric
• Left Iliac Region
Right Hypochondriac Region
• Liver
• Right kidney
• Gall bladder
• Large/small intestines

Epigastric Region
• Liver
• Stomach
• Spleen
• Duodenum
• Adrenal glands
• Pancreas

Left Hypochondriac Region

• Liver’s tip
• Stomach
• Pancreas
• Left kidney
• Large/small intestines

Right Lumbar Region

• Ascending Colon
• Small Intestines
• Right Kidney

Umbilical Region
• Duodenum
• Small Intestines
• Transverse Colon

Left Lumbar Region

• Descending Colon
• Small Intestines
• Left Kidney

Right Iliac Region

• Appendix
• Cecum
• Ascending Colon
• Small Intestines

Hypogastric Region
• Urinary bladder
• Sigmoid Colon
• Small Intestines
• Reproductive Organs

Left Iliac Region

• Sigmoid Colon
• Descending Colon
• Small Intestine
MEMBRANES OF THE ANTERIOR (VENTRAL) BODY
CAVITY

Serous Membrane
➢ (also referred to a serosa) is one of the thin membranes that
cover the walls and organs in the thoracic and
abdominopelvic cavities.
➢ It is membranes line the trunk cavities and cover the organs
of these cavities.
➢ Parietal Layers of the membranes lines the wall of the
body cavity
➢ Parietal refers to the cavity wall.
➢ Visceral Layer of the membranes covers the organs (the
Viscera)
➢ Fluid filled space the very thin space between the parietal
and visceral layers.

Three Serous Cavities and their Associated Membranes:

1. Pleura is the serous membrane that surrounds the lungs in the pleural cavity.
- The right and left sides of the thoracic cavity contain the lungs.
- Each lung is enfolded by a serous membrane
2. Pericardium is the serous membrane that surrounds the heart in the pericardial cavity.
3. Peritoneum is the serous membrane that surrounds several organs in the abdominal cavity

The Serous Fluid

• Produced by the serous membranes reduces friction between the walls of the cavities and internal organs when they move, such as when the
lungs inflate or the heart beats.
• it covers the surface of the membranes.
• the serous membranes are separated not by air but by a thin layer of lubricating fluid.
• allows the organs to slide without friction across the cavity walls and one another as they carry out their routine functions.

The Pleural Fluid

• it acts as a lubricant, allowing the visceral and parietal pleurae to slide past each other as the lungs and thorax change shape during respiration.
• it helps hold the pleural membranes together.
• Prevents friction between the lungs and the walls of the cavity
• In the pericardiac sac, the pericardial fluid prevents the friction between the heart and the walls of the pericardial sac.
• The peritoneal fluid in the peritoneal cavity prevents friction between abdominal cavity and pelvic organs and the wall of the cavity.

The Serous Membranes

• Therefore, provide additional protection to the viscera they enclose by reducing friction that could lead to inflammation.

(a) Frontal section showing the pericardial membranes and pericardial cavity. (b) Frontal section showing the pleural membranes and pleural cavities.
(c) Sagittal section through the abdominopelvic cavity showing the peritoneum, peritoneal cavity, mesenteries, and retroperitoneal organs.