Chapter 1 Relative Positions/ Directional terms

ventral

another word for anterior

dorsal

another word for posterior/ consider dorsal fin of a fish, the dorsal part can be seen moving effortlessly and very quickly toward surfboard.

lateral

away from the midline of the body/ ears are lateral to the nose / in anatomical position the hand is closer to the lateral thigh than the medial thigh

Peripheral

means away from the center the blood vessels are located peripherally away from the center and extending toward the limbs/ nerves are called the peripheral nervous system

Superior

means part of body is above another part or is closer to the head, ( The head is superior to the chest)

Inferior

means part of body is located below another part or is closer to the feet. ( the chest is inferior to the head)

Superficial

means that a part is located on or near the surface of the body - the skin is superficial to the muscles

Deep

means the body part is away from the surface of the body - the bones are deep to the skin

Distal

means the part farther away from the point of attachment, the wrist is distal to the elbow and the fingers are distal to the wrist

Central

means the part is located in the center - the heart is located centrally -the brain and spinal cord are called the central nervous system

Proximal

means the structure is near the point of attachment, often the trunk of the body, the elbow is described proximal to the wrist because the elbow is closer to the point of attachment.

Anterior

means toward the front surface ( belly button) heart is anterior to the spinal cord

Medial

means toward the mid line of the body / the nose is midline to the ears

Posterior

means towards the back surface / the heat is posterior to the breast bone.