Anatomy Directional and Positional Terms

Directional Terms

• Caudad: Refers to movement or direction toward the tail or downward.
• Cephalad: Indicates movement or direction toward the head or upward.
• Lateral: Pertains to the side of the body.
• Medial: Relates to the middle of the body.
• Unilateral: Involves or pertains to one side of the body.
• Bilateral: Concerns two sides of the body.
• Mediolateral: Refers to both the middle and the side of the body.
• Distal: Describes a position away from the point of attachment of a body part.
• Proximal: Indicates a position near to the point of attachment of a body part.

Positional Terms

• Inferior (inf): Refers to a position below another structure.
• Superior (sup): Indicates a position above another structure.
• Caudal: Pertains specifically to the tail region.
• Cephalic: Relates to the head region.
• Anterior (ant): Indicates the front of the body.
• Posterior: Refers to the back of the body.
• Dorsal: Pertains to the back.
• Ventral: Relates to the belly or front side.

Planes of the Body

• Anteroposterior (AP): Involves both the front and the back.
• Posteroanterior (PA): Refers to both the back and the front.
• Frontal (Coronal) Plane: A vertical section dividing the body into anterior and posterior portions.
• Midsagittal Plane: A vertical section dividing the body equally into right and left halves at the midline.
• Parasagittal Plane: A vertical cut that divides the body into unequal left and right sides.
• Sagittal Plane: Any vertical section dividing the body into left and right parts parallel to the midsagittal plane.
• Transverse Plane: A horizontal section dividing the body into superior and inferior portions.

Body Positions

• Fowler Position: A semi-sitting position with slight elevation of the knees.
• Lithotomy Position: Lying on the back with legs raised and feet supported in stirrups.
• Orthopneic Position: Sitting upright in a chair or bed, supported by pillows.
• Prone Position: Lying on the abdomen, facing downward (head may be turned).
• Recumbent Position: Any lying down position.
• Sims Position: Lying on the left side with the right knee drawn up and the left arm behind the back.
• Supine Position: Lying on the back, facing upward.
• Trendelenburg Position: Lying on the back with the body tilted, head lower than feet.

Abdominal Regions

• Umbilical Region: Area surrounding the navel (umbilicus).
• Lumbar Regions: Located on the right and left of the umbilical region, near the waist.
• Epigastric Region: Superior to the umbilical region, generally above the stomach.
• Iliac Regions: Located on the right and left of the hypogastric region.
• Hypochondriac Regions: Right and left areas above the epigastric region.
• Hypogastric Region: Inferior to the umbilical region.

Quadrants of the Abdomen

• Right Upper Quadrant (RUQ): Encompasses the right lobe of the liver, gallbladder, part of the pancreas, and portions of the intestines.
• Left Upper Quadrant (LUQ): Encompasses the left lobe of the liver, stomach, spleen, part of the pancreas, and intestines.
• Right Lower Quadrant (RLQ): Contains portions of the intestines, appendix, right ureter, and reproductive organs in women or spermatic duct in men.
• Left Lower Quadrant (LLQ): Encompasses portions of the small and large intestines, as well as reproductive organs in women or spermatogenic structures in men.