The popliteus is posterior to the patella. Posterior (or dorsal) describes the back or direction toward the back of the body.Anterior (or ventral) describes the front or direction toward the front of the body.Commit these terms to memory to avoid confusion when you are studying or describing the locations of particular body parts. For instance, an anatomist might describe one band of tissue as “inferior to” another or a physician might describe a tumor as “superficial to” a deeper body structure. These terms are essential for describing the relative locations of different body structures. You will be able to describe the body’s regions using the terms from the figure.Ĭertain directional anatomical terms appear throughout this and any other anatomy textbook ( Figure 1.4.2). Notice that the term “brachium” or “arm” is reserved for the “upper arm” and “antebrachium” or “forearm” is used rather than “lower arm.” Similarly, “femur” or “thigh” is correct, and “leg” or “crus” is reserved for the portion of the lower limb between the knee and the ankle. The human body’s numerous regions have specific terms to help increase precision (see Figure 1.4.1). These terms are sometimes used in describing the position of the body during specific physical examinations or surgical procedures. Prone describes a face-down orientation, and supine describes a face up orientation. The term “anterior” would be used even if the hand were palm down on a table.Ī body that is lying down is described as either prone or supine. For example, a scar in the “anterior (front) carpal (wrist) region” would be present on the palm side of the wrist. It does not matter how the body being described is oriented, the terms are used as if it is in anatomical position. Using this standard position reduces confusion. The upper limbs are held out to each side, and the palms of the hands face forward as illustrated in Figure 1.4.1.
Just as maps are normally oriented with north at the top, the standard body “map,” or anatomical position, is that of the body standing upright, with the feet at shoulder width and parallel, toes forward. To further increase precision, anatomists standardize the way in which they view the body. For example, in the disorder hypertension, the prefix “hyper-” means “high” or “over,” and the root word “tension” refers to pressure, so the word “hypertension” refers to abnormally high blood pressure. The root of a term often refers to an organ, tissue, or condition, whereas the prefix or suffix often describes the root.
Because these languages are no longer used in everyday conversation, the meaning of their words do not change.Īnatomical terms are made up of roots, prefixes, and suffixes.
Anatomical terms are derived from ancient Greek and Latin words. For example, you might say a scar “on the anterior antebrachium 3 inches proximal to the carpus”. For example, is a scar “above the wrist” located on the forearm two or three inches away from the hand? Or is it at the base of the hand? Is it on the palm-side or back-side? By using precise anatomical terminology, we eliminate ambiguity. Distinguish between major body cavitiesĪnatomists and health care providers use terminology that can be bewildering to the uninitiated however, the purpose of this language is not to confuse, but rather to increase precision and reduce medical errors.Identify three planes most commonly used in the study of anatomy.Describe the human body using directional and regional terms.Use appropriate anatomical terminology to identify key body structures, body regions, and directions in the body.By the end of this section, you will be able to:
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