Body Planes
imaginary lines drawn through the body at various parts to separate the body into sections
Transverse Plane
a horizontal plane that divides the body into a top half and a bottom half
Superior
body parts above other parts
Inferior
body parts below other parts
Cranial
body parts located near the head
Caudal
body parts located near the sacral region of the spinal column
Midsagittal(median)
divides the body into right and left sides
Medial
body parts close to the midline, or plane
Lateral
body parts away from the midline
Frontal(coronal) plane
divides the body into a front and a back section
Ventral or Anterior
body parts in front of the plane, or on the front of the body
Dorsal or Posterior
body parts on the back of the body
Proximal
body parts close to the point of reference
Distal
body parts distant from the point of reference
Body Cavities
spaces within the body that contain vital organs
Dorsal Cavity
one long, continuous cavity located on the back of the body
Cranial Cavity
contains the brain
Spinal Cavity
contains the spinal cord
Ventral Cavities
larger than the dorsal cavity and has two distinct cavities separated by the diaphragm.
Thoracic Cavity
located in the chest and contains the esophagus, trachea, bronchi, lungs, heart, and large blood vessels
Abdominal Cavity
Contains the stomach, small intestine, most of the large intestine, appendix, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, and spleen
Pelvic Cavity
contains the urinary bladder, the reproductive organs, and the last part of the large intestine
Orbital Cavity
for the eyes
Nasal Cavity
for the nose structures
Buccal Cavity
or mouth, for the teeth and tongue
Abdominal Regions
a more precise method of division is into nine