Medical Terminology

DR. ZAMAN
Body Planes
Sagittal plane
The sagittal plane runs lengthwise from front to back
and divides the body into right and left sides. A median
Sagittal also called midsagittal plane cut produces two equal halves,
each containing an arm and a leg.

Frontal plane
The frontal plane runs lengthwise from side to side, dividing the body
into ventral and dorsal (front and back) sections.

Transverse plane
The transverse plane, also called the horizontal plane, cuts the body
into upper and lower parts. These are known as the cranial (head) and
the caudal (tail) portions.
Directional terms of Relationship
TERM DEFINITION
Anterior (ventral) Near the front
Posterior (dorsal) Near the back
Superior (cranial) Upward or near the head
Inferior (caudal) Downward or near the feet
Medial Toward the midline or median plane
Lateral Farther from the midline or median plane
Proximal Near a reference point
Distal Distal Away from a reference point
Superficial Closer to the surface
Deep Distal Away from a reference point
Central Towards the center
Peripheral Away from center
Rostral Towards the nose
Caudal Towards the tail
Body Planes and Terms of Relationship
Body Cavities

A cavity is a hollow space within the body that usually houses vital organs.

The two major cavities are the ventral cavity and the dorsal cavity. They’re divided
into smaller spaces for the internal organs.
Ventral Cavity

The ventral cavity contains the thoracic (chest) cavity and the abdominopelvic
cavity.

The thoracic cavity, located above the diaphragm, contains the heart, lungs, and
large blood vessels that join the heart.
The abdominopelvic cavity, located below the diaphragm, consists of the abdominal
cavity (stomach, most of the intestines, kidneys, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, and
spleen) and the pelvic cavity (urinary bladder, rectum, and internal parts of the
reproductive system).
Dorsal Cavity

The dorsal cavity includes both the cranial and spinal cavities:

• The cranial cavity is relatively small; it houses and protects the brain.

• The spinal cavity contains the spinal column and spinal cord.
Body Cavities
Abdominal Regions
Nine regions are identified from right to left and top to bottom:

• The right hypochondriac region

• The epigastric region
• The left hypochondriac region
• The right lumbar region
• The umbilical region
• The left lumbar region
• The right iliac (inguinal)
• The hypogastric region
• The left iliac (inguinal) region
Abdominal Regions
Body Positions
• Fowler’s—head of bed raised 45 to 60 degrees, with knees slightly flexed
• Lateral recumbent, or Sims’—lying on the left side with the right thigh and knee
drawn up
• Lithotomy—lying on the back with the hips and knees flexed and the thighs
abducted and externally rotated
• Supine—lying flat on the back
• Prone—lying face down
• Trendelenburg’s—lying flat with the head lower than the body and legs
• Knee-chest—on knees with the chest resting on the bed.
Body Positions
Body Positions