Anatomical Position

• Standing upright, head and eyes directed forward, focusing on a distant object.
• Neutral facial expression; upper limbs slightly away from the trunk with palms forward and thumbs pointing laterally.
• Lower limbs are parallel, feet flat on the ground, and toes directed forward.

Terms of Relation

• Anterior: refers to the front of the body.
• Posterior: refers to the back of the body.
• Superior: describes the top of the body.
• Inferior: indicates the bottom of the body.
• Medial: towards the midline of the body.
• Lateral: away from the midline of the body.
• Proximal: closer to the center of the body.
• Distal: further from the center of the body.
• Ipsilateral: on the same side of the body.
• Contralateral: on the opposite side of the body.

Surface Terms

• Dorsal surface: top or anterior of the foot and back of the hand.
• Plantar surface: sole or posterior of the foot.
• Palmar surface: palm of the hand.

Terms of Movement

• Flexion: decrease in the angle of a joint.
• Extension: increase in the angle of a joint.
• Abduction: movement of a limb away from the midline.
• Adduction: movement of a limb towards the midline.
• Circumduction: circular movement of a joint, combining flexion, abduction, extension, and adduction.
• Opposition: bringing the thumb to touch another digit; reposition returns the thumb to anatomical position.
• Elevation: movement of the scapula upwards; depression moves it downwards.
• Eversion: sole of the foot moves away from the median plane; inversion moves it towards the median plane.
• Protrusion: movement of the mandible, lips, or tongue anteriorly; retraction moves them posteriorly.
• Medial rotation: rotation towards the midline; lateral rotation is the opposite.

General Body Positions

• Upright: marked by vertical positioning.
• Seated: upright position while sitting.
• Recumbent: general term for lying down, includes variations like dorsal, ventral, and lateral recumbent.
• Supine: lying on the back.
• Prone: lying face down.

Abbreviations

• Common medical abbreviations include:
  • ? - Query

  • - Fracture

  • CXR - Chest X-ray
  • SXR - Skull X-ray
  • RTA - Road Traffic Accident
  • H/O - History of
  • C/O - Complains Of
  • O/E - On Examination
  • R/O - Rule Out
  • NAD - No Abnormality Detected
  • I/V - Intravenous
  • FB - Foreign Body
  • TB - Tuberculosis
  • PTB - Pulmonary Tuberculosis
  • Ca - Carcinoma
  • UTI - Urinary Tract Infection
  • GI - Gastro-Intestinal

Imaging Modalities Abbreviations

• Common imaging modalities include:
  • CT - Computed Tomography
  • MRI - Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • USG - Ultra-Sonography
  • SPECT - Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography
  • PET - Positron Emission Tomography
  • DSA - Digital Subtraction Angiography
  • CR - Computed Radiography
  • DR - Direct Radiography
  • NM - Nuclear Medicine

Positioning Terms Summary

• Position: Describes a patient’s general physical position (e.g., supine, prone), also implies specific body positions relative to air.
• Projection: Correctly describes the path of the central ray in imaging.
• View: Misused term; refers to how the body part appears on imaging or screens, should be restricted to discussions of radiographs.

Test your understanding of anatomical position, terms of relation, surface terms, and movement concepts. This quiz covers essential terminology used in human anatomy that is crucial for healthcare and medical studies.