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Planes, Sections, and Directional Terms

Terms in this set (29)

Anatomy
the study of the body structures and their relationships.
Physiology
the study of the body functions and how the structures work together.
Dissection
the cutting apart of body structures in order to better understand their relationships.
Plane
imaginary flat surfaces that are used to divide the body or body structures in order to visualize internal anatomy.
Sagittal
a vertical plane dividing the body into left and right parts.
Mid-Sagittal
a vertical plane dividing the body into EQUAL left and right parts.
Parasagittal
a vertical plane that is parallel to the mid-sagittal plane.
Frontal (coronal)
a lengthwise plane running from side to side and dividing the body into front and back parts.
Transverse (cross-section)
a horizontal plane passing through the body from front to back and dividing the body into equal upper and lower parts.
Oblique
a lengthwise plane passing through the body at a 45º angle to a sagittal plane or to the median plane. (diagonal line)
Superior
closer to the head
Inferior
farther from the head
Anterior
front of the body
Posterior
back of the body
Lateral
farther from the midline of the body
Ipsilateral
on the same side of the body
Contralateral
on opposite sides of the body
Dorsal
closer to the vertebral column ("back")
Ventral
away from the vertebral column ("belly")
Proximal
nearer to a point of reference
Distal
farther from a point of reference
Internal
below the surface
External
on the surface
Deep
away from the surface
Superficial
near the surface
Central
at or near the middle
Peripheral
at or near the edge
Parietal
at the wall of a body cavity
Visceral
within a body cavity
THIS SET IS OFTEN IN FOLDERS WITH...