INTRODUCTION TO ANATOMY AND

PLANES OF BODY, BODY CAVITIES,

BODY SURFACES & BODY
MOVEMENTS
Amina Arshad
lecturer
ANATOMY AND ITS BRANCHES

 Objectives
 • To understand the basic terminologies

 used in anatomy.

 • To describe the anatomical position of

 the body.

 • To know the different anatomical planes

 and terms of positions.

Why Study Anatomy?
1. Communication within the health
professions.
2. In order to understand the pathology
of the human body, one must
understand the normal.
3. Learn the interaction between body
systems.
4. Define the significance between
structure and function
 GROSS ANATOMY
• REGIONAL
• UPPER LIMB
• LOWER LIMB
• THORAX
• ABDOMEN
• PELVIS & PERINIUM
• HEAD& NECK
• BRAIN & SPINAL
CORD
• SYSTEMIC
• OSTEOLOGY
• MYOLOGY
• ARTHROLOGY
• ANGIOLOGY
• NEUROLOGY
• SPLANCHNOLOGY
• ANATOMICAL POSITION
• The anatomical position is a
standardized method of observing or
imaging the body that allows precise
and consistent anatomical references.

In an anatomical position, the

subject stands erect facing the observer, the
upper extremities are placed at the sides,
the palms of the hands are turned forward,
and the feet are flat on the floor .
SUBDIVISIONS
Gross Anatomy
Microscopic Anatomy
Developmental Anatomy
Specialized Branches of
Anatomy
Gross Anatomy
Regional – all structures
in one part of the body (such
as the abdomen or leg)
Systemic – gross anatomy
of the body studied by system
Surface – study of internal
structures as they relate to
the overlying skin
Microscopic
Anatomy

Cytology – study of
the cell

Histology – study of
tissues
Developmental
Anatomy
Embryology – study of
developmental
changes of the body before
birth
SPECIALIZED BRANCHES OF
ANATOMY
 Pathological anatomy – study of
 structural changes caused by disease

 Radiographic anatomy – study of

 internal structures visualized by X ray

 Molecular biology – study of anatomical

 structures at a sub-cellular level
ANATOMICAL PLANES
 • Anatomical descriptions are based on
 four imaginary planes that intersect the

 body in anatomical position.

 • These are:

 – Median

 – Sagittal

 – Frontal

 – Transverse
PLANES OF BODY
 Transverse Planes- divide the body into
 superior/inferior sections.

 Frontal Planes - divide the body into

anterior and
 posterior sections.

 Sagittal Planes-divide the body into left and

right
 sections. Exactly equal halves- Midsagittal

 Section
MEDIAN PLANE
 Median Plane / midline:
 • Vertical plane passing

 longitudinally through

 the body , divides the

 body into right and left

 halves.
SAGITTAL PLANE
 Sagittal Plane:
 • Vertical planes

 passing through the

 body parallel to the

 median plane.

 • Plane parallel and

 near to the median

 plane is paramedian

 plane.

 • (Medial and lateral)

TRANSVERSE PLANES:
 Transverse Planes:
 • Horizontal plane

 passing through the

 body at right angles

 to the median and

 frontal planes,

 dividing the body

 into superior (upper)

 and inferior (lower)

 parts.
FRONTAL ( CORONAL ) PLANES
 Frontal ( coronal )
 planes:

 • Vertical planes

 passing through the

 body at right angles

 to the median plane,

 divides the body into

 anterior ( front) and

 posterior (back)

 parts.
BODY CAVITIES
 The human body, like that of many other
multicellular organisms, is divided into a number
of body cavities. A body cavity is a fluid-filled
space inside the body that holds and protects
internal organs. Human body cavities are
separated by membranes and other structures.
The two largest human body cavities are the
ventral cavity and dorsal cavity. These two body
cavities are subdivided into smaller body cavities.
Both the dorsal and ventral cavities
 The ventral cavity is at the anterior (or front) of
the trunk. Organs contained within this body
cavity include the lungs, heart, stomach,
intestines, and reproductive organs. The ventral
cavity allows for considerable changes in the size
and shape of the organs inside as they perform
their functions. Organs such as the lungs,
stomach, or uterus, for example, can expand or
contract without distorting other tissues or
disrupting the activities of nearby organs.
 The ventral cavity is subdivided into the thoracic
and abdominopelvic cavities.
.
 The thoracic cavity fills the chest and is
subdivided into two pleural cavities and the
pericardial cavity. The pleural cavities hold the
lungs, and the pericardial cavity holds the heart.
 The abdominopelvic cavity fills the lower half
of the trunk and is subdivided into the abdominal
cavity and the pelvic cavity. The abdominal
cavity holds digestive organs and the kidneys,
and the pelvic cavity holds reproductive organs
and organs of excretion
 Dorsal Cavity
 The dorsal cavity is at the posterior (or back) of
the body, including both the head and the back of
the trunk. The dorsal cavity is subdivided into
the cranial and spinal cavities.
 The cranial cavity fills most of the upper part of
the skull and contains the brain.
 The spinal cavity is a very long, narrow cavity
inside the vertebral column. It runs the length of
the trunk and contains the spinal cord.
 The brain and spinal cord are protected by the
bones of the skull and the vertebrae of the spine.
They are further protected by the meninges, a
three-layer membrane that encloses the brain
and spinal cord. A thin layer of cerebrospinal
fluid is maintained between two of the
meningeal layers. This clear fluid is produced by
the brain, and it provides extra protection and
cushioning for the brain and spinal cord.
Some Anatomical
Directions
Superior and Inferior
Anterior and Posterior
Dorsal and Ventral
Proximal and Distal
Medial and Lateral
POSITIONS AND
DIRECTIONS

 Terms of position and direction describe the

position of one body part relative to another.
 It usually along one of the three major body

planes
POSITIONS AND DIRECTIONS
 Superior
 Refers to a structure being
 closer to the head or higher

 than another structure in the

 body

 Inferior

 Refers to a structure being

 closer to the feet or lower

 than another structure in the

 body
POSITION AND DIRECTIONS
 Anterior
 Refers to a structure being more
 in front than another structure in

 the body

 Posterior

 Refers to a structure being more

 in back than another structure in

 the body
POSITION AND DIRECTION
 Medial
 Refers to a structure being
 closer to the midline or median

 plane of the body than another

 structure of the body

 Lateral

 Refers to a structure being

 farther away from the midline

 than another structure of the

 body
POSITION AND DIRECTION
 Distal
 (Reference to the extremities only)
 Refers to a structure being
 further away from the root of
 the limb than another structure
 in the limb
 Proximal
 (Reference to the extremities only)
 Refers to a structure being
 closer to the root of the limb
 than another structure in that
 limb
SKELETON

 When you divide the

 skeleton into Axial (Blue)

 and Appendicular

 (Yellow) you can better

 understand the extremities

 and their roots.

 Ventral
 Towards the front or belly

 Dorsal
 Towards the back
MOVEMENTS
 Movements
 Flexion

 Bending a joint or decreasing the

 angle between two bones

 In the Fetal Position we are flexing our joints

 Extension

 Straightening a joint or increasing the

 angle between two bones

 In the Anatomical Position we are extending

our joints
MOVEMENTS
 Hyperextension
 Excessive extension of the parts at a
 joint beyond anatomical position.
 Adduction
 Moving a body part
 towards the midline of the
 body
 Abduction
 Moving a body part away
 from the midline of the
 body