Anatomy Terms

study description

Anatomy - the study of structure

- identification of the body parts
- “to cut up”

Physiology - the study of function

- how the parts of the body work
- “physis” means nature

Pathology - the study of diseases and its processes

- what makes you sick/what went wrong
- “patho” means suffering (pain)

type of anatomy description

Microscopic anatomy - the study of anatomy in a microscopic

level
- cannot study without the aid of a
microscope
2 Branches:
a. Histology – study of tissues
b. Cytology – study of cells

Gross anatomy - the study of anatomy on a large scale

- can study even without the aid of a
microscope

Regional anatomy - the study of anatomy on different regions

of the body

systematic anatomy - the study of anatomy on different systems

of the body
 Body Positions
Anatomical position - stand upright
- head faced forward
- arms by side with palms facing forward
- feet flat on the ground, toes forward
directional terms description
Superior / Cephalic - over, above, going to the top

Inferior / caudal - under, below, going towards the feet

Anterior / ventral - front, going towards the front

Posterior / dorsal - back, going towards the back

Medial - going towards the midline (in)

Lateral - going away from the midline (out)

Intermediate - in between two parts

Ipsilateral - at the same side of the body

contralateral - at the opposite side of the body

proximal - towards the point of origin (where it came

from)
distal - going away the point of origin

Superficial - towards the surface

cut/lesion)
(e.g. paper

deep - deep (e.g. stitches)

*note: two points of reference is needed to identify easier the superior and inferior parts
*additional: cephalgia is another term of headache
 Body Cavities
types of body cavities

Ventral cavity Dorsal cavity

- the front part - the back part
types of each cavity
a. thoracic cavity – includes heart and lungs b. cranial cavity – includes the brain
c. abdominopelvic cavity – has to types: d. vertebral cavity – includes the spinal
 abdominal cavity – includes chord
stomach and intestine
 pelvic cavity – includes lower part
of the intestine and the
reproductive

Planes of the Body

types description

Sagittal plane - divides the body into left and right sides
2 kinds:
a) midsagittal plane – divides into equal left
and right side
b) parasagittal plane – divides into unequal
sides

Transverse plane - divides the body into top and bottom parts

Coronal/frontal plane - divides the body into front and back sides
- (anterior and posterior)

Oblique plane - divides or cuts the body in an angle

Abdominal Sections
 4 sections

Right Upper Left Upper

Quadrant Quadrant

Right Lower Left Lower

Quadrant Quadrant

9 regions

Right Epigastric Left

Hypochondriac Region Hypochondriac
Region Region

Right Lumbar Umbilical Left Lumbar

Region Region Region

Right Iliac Hypogastric Left Iliac

Region Region Region