ANATOMICAL TERMS

Mr. Zahid Hussain

BS (HONS) Radiology, HCPC (UK)
Coordinator Radiology IHS Peshawar
Clinical Technologist Radiology PIC
Peshawar.

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 CONTENTS
• What is the anatomical position?
• What are the directional terms used in
anatomy?
• What are the anatomical planes and
sections?
• What are the term used in clinical anatomy?

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 TERMS USE IN ANATOMY
1)ANATOMICAL POSITION

• Body erect
• Head, eyes, toes
directed forward
• Palms directed
forward
• Limbs at sides of
body

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2) PRONE POSITION
When the body is lying face down in the anatomical
position, this is called the prone position.

3)SUPINE POSITION
When the body is lying face up, this is called
the supine position.

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Anatomical Terms
• Anterior (ventral)
Toward or at the
front of the body.
• Posterior (dorsal)
Toward or at the back
of the body.

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 SUPERIOR/INFERIOR

• Superior
Toward the top of
the head.(CRANIAL)
• Inferior
Toward the sole of
the feet.(CAUDAL)

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 ANATOMICAL PLANES

• Mid Sagittal / Median plane

• Para Median /Sagittal Plane
• Coronal / Frontal Plane
• Horizontal / Transverse Plane

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Median Plane/mid sagittal plane
• Vertical plane,
dividing it into two
equal halves right
and left.

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Para median / Sagittal plane
• Vertical, parallel to
median plane is
called sagittal plane.
• It separates the body
into asymmetrical
right and left
sections.

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 Coronal Plane
• Vertical, perpendicular to sagittal plane
• separates the body into Anterior and Posterior
parts.

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 Horizontal Plane / Transverse Plane
• Separates the body into Superior and Inferior
parts.

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 PROXIMAL and DISTAL

• Proximal
situated nearer to
the centre of the
body.
• Distal
situated away from
the centre of the
body.
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 EXTERNAL / INTERNAL

• Refers to a hollow
structure (external
being outside and
internal being
inside)

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• MEDIAL
Toward the midline of the body.
• LATERAL
Away from the midline of the body.

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 FLEXOR SURFACE
• Anterior Surface of Upper Limb and Posterior
Surface of Lower Limb.

EXTENSOR SURFACE
• Posterior Surface of Upper Limb and Anterior
of Lower Limb.

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 PALMER
• Towards Anterior Surface of Hand.

PLANTER
• Towards Inferior Surface of Foot or To the sole
(bottom) of the foot.

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 SUPERFICIAL
• Nearer to the surface of the body.
• E.G. the skin is superficial to skeletal muscles.

DEEP
• Away from the Surface of the body.
• E.G. the lungs are deep to skin.

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 UNILATERAL
• Any structure or organ occurring only on one
side of the body is referred to as unilateral.
e.g. spleen and appendix.

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 BILATERAL
Those structures or organs (or condition)
which occur on both (i.e., right & left ) sides of
the body are referred to as bilateral.
e.g the ears are bilateral organs.

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 IPSILATERAL
• Refers To Same Side of Body E.G, Right Arm
And Right Leg.

CONTRALATERAL
• Refers To Opposite Side of Body E.G, Right Arm
And Left Leg.

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 INTERIOR
• Inner Part of a Hollow Organ.

EXTERIOR
• Outer Part of a Hollow Organ.

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 Terms used for describing
movements
• FLEXION means a bending movement in which angle between two
bones is decreased.
• Angle of joint is reduced.
• EXTENSION is a straightening motion in which angle between two
bones is increased.
• Angle of joint is increased.

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 ABDUCTION & ADDUCTION

ADDUCTION :Towards the median plane of the body.

ABDUCTION :Away from the median plane of the body.

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 ROTATION
• Rotation is a movement of a body part around
its own axis.
• When the anterior surface rotates medially the
movement is called medial rotation.(internal
rotation)

• If the anterior surface rotates laterally, the

movement is called lateral rotation.(external
rotation)
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MEDIAL ROTATION : Inward rotation

LATERAL ROTATION: Outward rotation

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CIRCUMDUCTION: is a combination movement.
When a part is moved successively through flexion, abduction,
extension and adduction, the movement is called
circumduction.

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 PRONATION & SUPINATION
• PRONATION : Palm is turned backward.

• SUPINATION: Palm is turned forward.

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PLANTER FLEXION: Flexion of the foot is called plantar flexion.
Increasing the angle of the ankle joint.

DORSIFLEXION: Extension of the foot is called dorsiflexion.

Decreasing the angle of the ankle joint.

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INVERSION: Sole faces medially

EVERSION : Sole faces laterally

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 PROTRACTION & RETRACTION
• Protraction (a forward movement)
• Retraction (a backward movement) are terms
applied to the movements of the shoulder
girdle & lower jaw.

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 ELEVATION & DEPRESSION
• Elevation means raising a body part.
e.g. the lower jaw is elevated when mouth is
closed.
• Depression means lowering a body part.
e.g. movement of the lower jaw to open the
mouth.

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 Directional and Non-directional Terms:

• Superficial Means situated near the surface.

• Deep Describe parts that are more internal .
• Perineal Pelvic floor
• Plantar Sole of foot
• Popliteal Back of knee
• Femoral Thigh
• Frontal Front
• Gastric Stomach
• Gluteal Buttock
• Brachial Upper arm
• Buccal / oral Mouth
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 Continue….
• Cardiac Heart
• Cervical Neck
• Cranial Head
• Cranium Head
• Deltoid Shoulder
• Volar Palm
• Superior Above
• Temporal Side of head
• Umbilical Navel
• Patellar knee cap
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 Continue….
• Hepatic Liver
• Iliac Hip
• Inguinal Groin
• Lumbar Lower part of the back
• Mammary Breast
• Nasal Nose
• Inferior Below / Lower
• Ventral Toward the front
• Axillary Arm pit
• Internal Inside
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 Continue….
• peripheral Extending away from the main part
• External Outside
• Occipital Back of head
• Orbit Eye
• Parietal Crown of head
• Pulmonary Lungs
• Renal Kidney
• Sacral Base of spine
• Mental Chin
• Central Main part
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 Continue….
• Parietal Pertaining to the wall of a
cavity.
• Visceral Pertaining to the organ in a
cavity.
• Posterior or dorsal Toward the back
• Medial Toward the midline
• Lateral Away from the midline

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THANK YOU

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ANY QUESTIONS…..????

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