Body Relationship Terms
posterior
back part of the body or organ
visceral
covering of an organ
caudad
refers to parts away from the head of the body
plantar
sole of the foot
palmar
palm of the hand
contralateral
part or parts on the opposite side of the body
external
part outside of an organ or outside of the body
peripheral
parts at or near the surface, edge or outside of the body
deep
parts far from the surface
distal
parts furthest from the point of attachment, point of reference, origin or beginning
proximal
parts nearest the point of attachment, point of reference, origin
anterior
forward or front part of the body
inferior
nearer the feet or situated below
superior
nearer the head or situated above
superficial
part near the skin or surface
ipsilateral
part on the same side of the body
internal
part within or on the inside of an organ
cephalad
parts toward the head of the body
lateral
refers to parts away from the median plane of the body or away from the middle of a part to the right or the left
dorsal
refers to the back part of the body or the organ
ventral
refers to the forward or front part of the body or forward part of an organ
central
refers to the middle area or main part of an organ
dorsum
top or anterior surface of the foot, or to the back or posterior surface of the hand
medial
towards the median plane of the body or toward the middle of a body part