Medical Terminology - Chapter 3: Directional Terms, Planes, Positions, Regions, & Quadrants

super/o

above

umbilical region (1)

around the navel (umbilicus)

dist/o

away

dors/o

back

poster/o

back, behind

ventr/o

belly front

infer/o

below

anter/o

front

cephal/o

head (upward)

transverse

horizontal plane dividing the body into superior and inferior portions

hyogastric region (1)

inferior to the umbilical region

recumbent position

lying down in any position

prone position

lying on abdomen, facing downward (head may be turned to one side)

Trendelenburg position

lying on back with body tilted so that the head is lower than the feet

supine position

lying on back, facing upward

lithotomy position

lying on the back with legs raised and feet in stirrups, hips and knees flexed, thighs abducted and externally rotated

Sims position

lying on the left side with right knee drawn up and with the left arm drawn behind, parallel to the back

medi/o

middle

proxim/o

near the point of attachment of a body part

uni-

one

-ior

pertaining to

lateral (lat)

pertaining to a side

superior (sup)

pertaining to above

distal

pertaining to away (from the point of attachment of a body part)

inferior (inf)

pertaining to below

proximal

pertaining to near (to the point of attachment of a body part)

unilateral

pertaining to one side

dorsal

pertaining to the back

posterior

pertaining to the back

posteroanterior (PA)

pertaining to the back and to the front

anterior (ant)

pertaining to the front

anteroposterior (AP)

pertaining to the front and to the back

ventral

pertaining to the front of the belly

cephalic

pertaining to the head

medial (med)

pertaining to the middle

mediolateral

pertaining to the middle and to the side

caudal

pertaining to the tail (synonymous with inferior in human anatomy when specifying location in the trunk of the body)

bilateral

pertaining to two sides

left lower quadrant (LLQ)

refers to the area encompassing portions of the small and large intestines, the left ureter, and the left ovary and uterine tube in women or the left spermatic duct in men

left upper quadrant (LUQ)

refers to the area encompassing the left lobe of the liver, the stomach, the spleen, lateral portion of the pancreas, and portions of the small and large intestines

right lower quadrant (RLQ)

refers to the area encompassing the portions of the small and large intestines, the appendix, the right ureter, and the right ovary and uterine tube in women or the right spermatic duct in men

right upper quadrant (RUQ)

refers to the area encompassing the right lobe of the liver, gallbladder, medial portion of the pancreas and portions of the small and large intestines

Fowler position

semi-sitting position with slight elevation of the knees

later/o

side

orthopnea position

sitting erect in a chair or sitting upright in bed supported by pillows behind head and chest

epigastric region (3)

superior to the umbilical region

caud/o

tail (downward)

anatomic position

the standard, neutral frontal position in which the body is erect or standing facing directly forward with arms hanging down at the sides, palms facing forward, and feet placed side by side, pointed anteriorly.

hypochondriac regions (2)

to the right and left of the epigastric region

iliac regions (2)

to the right and left of the hypogasrtic region, near the groin (also called inguinal regions)

lumbar region (2)

to the right and left of the umbilical region, near the waist

-ad

toward

cephdad

toward the head (upward)

caudad

toward the tail (or the inferior portion of the trunk; downward)

bi-

two

midsagittal

vertical plane passing through the body from front to back at the midline, dividing the body equally into right and left halves

sagittal

vertical plane passing through the body from front to back, dividing the body into right and left sides (any plane parallel to the midsagittal plane)

parasagittal

vertical plane passing through the body from front to back, dividing the body into unequal left and right sides

frontal or coronal

vertical plane passing through the body from side to side, dividing the body into anterior and posterior portions