Anatomical Position and Directional Terms Quiz

Anatomical Position

• Upright stance with the body facing forward.
• Palms facing forward in the supine position.
• Feet are flat on the floor.

Directional Terms

• Right and Left: Refers to the body's perspective.
• Superior (above, also called cephalic or cranial) - Inferior (below, also called caudal).
• Anterior (front, referred to as ventral in bipeds) - Posterior (back, referred to as dorsal in bipeds).
• Medial (closer to the midline) - Lateral (further from the midline).
• Ipsilateral (same side) - Contralateral (opposite side).
• Intermediate (between medial and lateral).
• Proximal (closer to a point of attachment) - Distal (further from a point of attachment).
• Superficial (external or near the surface) - Deep (internal or away from the surface).

Planes of the Body

• Transverse: Separates the body into upper (superior) and lower (inferior) parts; also called the cross-section or horizontal plane.
• Sagittal: Divides the body into left and right halves; includes midsagittal (equal halves) and parasagittal (unequal halves).
• Coronal: Splits the body into front (anterior) and back (posterior) parts; also known as the frontal plane.

Abdominopelvic Regions

• Nine-region system includes:
  • Hypochondriac (upper sides)
  • Epigastric (upper middle)
  • Lumbar or Lateral (middle sides)
  • Umbilical (middle center)
  • Iliac or Inguinal (lower sides)
  • Hypogastric (lower middle)
• Quadrant system divides the abdomen into four sections intersecting at the umbilicus.

Body Cavities

• Dorsal cavity:
  • Cranial cavity (houses the brain).
  • Vertebral or spinal cavity (contains the spinal cord).
• Ventral cavity: Divided by the diaphragm into regions:
  • Thoracic cavity (contains heart and lungs).
  • Pericardial cavity (houses the heart).
  • Pleural cavities (surround each lung).
  • Mediastinum (central compartment of the thorax).
• Abdominopelvic cavity: Subdivided by an imaginary line from pubis to sacrum.
  • Abdominal cavity (contains digestive organs).
  • Pelvic cavity (houses bladder and reproductive organs).