This document provides an overview of anatomical terminology including: 1) It describes the three main anatomical planes - coronal, sagittal, and horizontal - and defines each. 2) It lists several anatomical lines used for orientation on the body surface including axillary lines and mid-clavicular line. 3) It defines common terms used to describe directional terms including superior/inferior, anterior/posterior, and proximal/distal. 4) It explains several terms used to describe movements of joints and body parts including flexion, extension, abduction, and rotation.

2. For the students of Gulf Medical University, Ajman,
MBBS
Dr. Seyed Morteza Mahmoudi,
MBBS
Gulf Medical University, Ajman

3.  Anatomical
Position
 Orientation Planes and Lines
 Terms of Direction
 Terms of Movement
 Parts and Regions of the Body
 Body Cavities

11.  Anatomical
Position
 Orientation Planes and Lines
 Terms of Direction
 Terms of Movement
 Parts and Regions of the Body
 Body Cavities

19. The anatomical Planes
Coronal (frontal) plane
Divides the body into front and back halves (also any plane
parallel to this).
Sagittal plane
Divides the body into right and left halves (also any plane or
section parallel to this). The term, parasagittal plane, is
sometimes used for the parallel planes.
Horizontal/ transverse/ axial plane
Any section across the long axis of the body or across the long
axis of a part or an organ.

22. 
Axillary lines.
• Midaxillary line, a line running vertically down the surface of the
body passing through the apex of the axilla (armpit).
• Anterior axillary line, passes through the anterior axillary skinfold,
• Posterior axillary line, passes through the posterior axillary
skinfold.
Mid-clavicular line, vertical line passing through the
midpoint of the clavicle and mid-inguinal point.
 Intercristal line, a transverse line passing across the
lumbar spine between the superior aspects of the iliac
crests.
 In addition, reference may be made to structures at
specific spinal levels (e.g. the 4th cervical vertebra,
"C4"), or intercostal spaces.


23.  Anatomical
Position
 Orientation Planes and Lines
 Terms of Direction
 Terms of Movement
 Parts and Regions of the Body
 Body Cavities

26. • Superior/ Cranial vs. Inferior/ Caudal
• Anterior/ Ventral vs. Posterior/ Dorsal
• Medial vs. Lateral
• Radial vs. Ulnar
• Fibular vs. Tibial
• Median
• Proximal vs. Distal
• Superficial vs. Deep/ Profundus
• Interior/ Internal vs. Exterior/ External
• Combined terms: eg. superolateral, posteromedial, anterolateral,
etc.

32. Terms of Direction
2

34.  Anatomical
Position
 Orientation Planes and Lines
 Terms of Direction
 Terms of Movement
 Parts and Regions of the Body
 Body Cavities

35. 
Flexion vs. Extension

Abduction vs. Adduction

Circumduction

Dorsiflexion vs. Plantar flexion

Eversion vs. Inversion

External rotation vs. Internal rotation

Lateral flexion

Pronation vs. Supination

Radial deviation vs. Ulnar deviation

42. Movements
Flexion:
Generally the bending of two surfaces toward
each other.
Extension:
Generally the bending of two surfaces away from
each other. When there might be confusion the
term dorsiflexion is used.

43. Movements cont.
Abduction:
Any movement away from the midline
Adduction:
Any movement toward the midline

44. Movements cont.
External (lateral) rotation:
Turning a part of the body to face outward
Internal (medial) rotation:
Turning a part of the body to face inward
Circumduction:
Sometimes used to describe a circular
movement, as when swinging one's arm around
in a circle.

45. Movements cont.
Special movements of the forearm
Supination: turning the palms to face upward
Pronation: turning the palms to face downward
Special movements of the foot
Eversion: turning the soles of the feet outward
Inversion: turning the soles of the feet inward to
face each other
Note: When describing movement, always refer to
the joint involved, e.g.. flexion of elbow rather than
flexion of forearm. This will avoid much confusion.

46.  Anatomical
Position
 Orientation Planes and Lines
 Terms of Direction
 Terms of Movement
 Parts and Regions of the Body
 Body Cavities

49. Parts and Regions of the Body
Head and neck
•Head = cephalus; adjective - cephalic (cranial is sometimes used as
a synonym)
•Neck = cervix; adjective - cervical
Upper limb
•Anterior shoulder = pectoral area
•Arm or brachium = portion between shoulder and elbow (this is not
a synonym for upper limb.)
•Forearm or antebrachium = portion between elbow and wrist
•The hand has a dorsal and a palmar (or volar) surface.
Lower limb
•Buttock = gluteal region
•Thigh = portion from hip to knee.
•Leg = portion from knee to ankle
•The foot has a dorsal and a plantar surface.

50. Parts and Regions of the Body cont.
Trunk or torso is an anatomical term for the central part of body from which
extend the neck and limbs. The trunk includes the thorax and abdomen.
Thorax or chest
•Adjective - thoracic
•Anterior surface = sternal or pectoral area
•Ribs = costa; adjective - costal
Abdomen
•The anterior wall has several regions which will be encountered later.
e.g. umbilical= around navel, lumbar = flank region, gastric = stomach
Pelvis
•This is actually the inferior continuation of the abdomen.
•The posterior area is called the sacral area because of its relationship
to the sacrum bone.
•Perineum is the area enclosing the external genitalia and anus

51.  Anatomical
Position
 Orientation Planes and Lines
 Terms of Direction
 Terms of Movement
 Parts and Regions of the Body
 Body Cavities

54. 
Cranial regions
•
•
•
•

Parietal
Frontal
Temporal
Occipital
Facial regions
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Auricular
Buccal
Orbital
Mastoid
Nasal
Mental
Submental
Maxillary
Mandibular
Zygomatic

55.  Cervical
 Larynx
 Tracheal

Nuchal

56.  Axillary
 Clavicular
 Sternal
 Pectoral
 Mammary
 Costal
 Scapular

57.  Hypochondriac
 Epigastric
 Umbilical
 Hypogastric
 Inguinal/
 Lumbar
iliac

59.  Deltoid
 Acromial
 Brachial
 Antebrachial
 Antecubital
 Olecranon
 Carpal
 Palmar
 Digital
 Phalangeal
 Pollex

60.  Femoral
 Patellar
 Crural
 Popliteal
 Sural
 Tarsal
 Pedal
 Calcaneal

64. Posterior Body Regions
•Occipital
•Deltoid
•Popliteal
•Gluteal
•Scapular
•Lumbar
•Vertebral
•Sacral

66.  Anatomical
Position
 Orientation Planes and Lines
 Terms of Direction
 Terms of Movement
 Parts and Regions of the Body
 Body Cavities

67. Pleural
Pericardial

68. Body Cavities
Dorsal Body Cavity
Ventral Body Cavity
•Cranial Cavity
•Thoracic Cavity
•Spinal Cavity
•Abdominopelvic Cavity
Abdominal & Pelvic