Terms for Positioning

Question 1

What is gross anatomy?

Answer 1

macroscopic, examining the body with the naked eye

Question 2

What are the two approaches to studying gross anatomy?

Answer 2

regional and systemic

Question 3

a. Regional approach

Answer 3

all anatomical structures in a region are studied at the same time

Question 4

b. Systemic approach

Answer 4

different organ systems are studied individually

Question 5

3. What is histology?

Answer 5

microscopic study of tissues and cells

Question 6

4. What is surface anatomy

Answer 6

using the marking on the surface of the body to reveal underlying organs or structures

Question 7

5. What is embryology?

Answer 7

study of different phases of human development, especially on the first eight weeks of gestation

Question 8

6. What is the standard anatomical position?

Answer 8

person standing upright, head is level and facing forward, upper limbs at side and turned forward, lower limbs are parallel and feet flat on floor with toes directed forward

Question 9

7. How do the hands and feet face in the standard anatomical position?

Answer 9

forward

Question 10

8. What is prone position?

Answer 10

anatomical position where body is lying facing down

Question 11

9. What is supine position?

Answer 11

anatomical position where the body is lying face up

Question 12

10. What are the three standard anatomical planes?

Answer 12

sagittal, coronal, transverse

Question 13

a. Sagittal plane

Answer 13

vertical planes dividing body into left and right

Question 14

b. Coronal plane

Answer 14

vertical planes that divide the body into front and back parts

Question 15

c. Transverse plane

Answer 15

horizontal planes that divide the body into upper and lower parts

Question 16

11. What are the vertical anatomical planes called?

Answer 16

sagittal and coronal

Question 17

12. What are the horizontal anatomical planes called?

Answer 17

transverse

Question 18

13. What is the midsagittal plane?

Answer 18

plane that divides the body into symmetric left and right parts

Question 19

14. How do you describe the two halves of the body separated via the midsagittal plane?

Answer 19

symmetrical

Question 20

15. Why is there no midfrontal plane?

Answer 20

can’t use a frontal plane to divide the body that results in symmetrical halves

Question 21

16. Why is there no midtransverse plane?

Answer 21

can’t use a transverse plane to divide the body that results in symmetrical halves

Question 22

What are the terms to describe position in the frontal/coronal plane?

Answer 22

anterior and posterior

Question 23

a. Anterior

Answer 23

in front of something, closer to front)

Question 24

b. Posterior

Answer 24

behind something, closer to back

Question 25

18. What are the terms to describe position in the sagittal plane?

Answer 25

medial and lateral

Question 26

a. Medial

Answer 26

closer to midsagittal plane

Question 27

b. Lateral

Answer 27

farther from midsagittal plane

Question 28

19. What are the terms to describe position in the transverse plane?

Answer 28

superior and inferior

Question 29

a. Superior

Answer 29

closer to head

Question 30

b. Inferior?

Answer 30

farther from head

Question 31

20. What are the 6 standard terms used to describe the relative positions of anatomical features?

Answer 31

anterior + posterior, medial + lateral, superior + inferior

Question 32

21. What does proximal mean?

Answer 32

closer to the root of organ

Question 33

22. What does distal mean?

Answer 33

farther from root of organ

Question 34

23. What does superficial mean?

Answer 34

closer to the surface of the body