Transcript Body Planes, Directions, and Cavities

Body Planes, Directions,
and Cavities
Body Planes, Directions, and Cavities
terms such as south and east would be
difficult to apply to the human body, other
directional terms have been developed
► Because
► These
terms are used to describe the relationship
of one part of the body to another part
► The
terms relating to body planes, directions, and
cavities are used frequently in the study of human
anatomy
Planes, Directions and Cavities
► Body
planes
 Imaginary lines drawn through body at various
parts to separate body into sections
 Directional terms are created by these planes
 Three main planes
►Transverse
►Midsagittal
►Frontal
Superior
Medial
Lateral
Inferior
Transverse or Horizontal
Midsagittal or Median
Dorsal /
Posterior
Frontal or Coronal
Ventral /
Anterior
http://student.brighton.ac.uk/anatomy/body_planes.htm
Transverse Plane
► Horizontal
plane divides the body into top and
bottom halves
► Body parts above other parts are termed superior
► Body parts below other parts are termed inferior
► For instance: knee is superior to ankle, but inferior
to hip
► Two other directional terms related to this plane
includes
 Cranial – body parts located near the head
 Caudal – body parts located near the sacral region of
the spinal column (also known as the “tail”)
Midsagittal (or Median) Plane
► Divides
the body into right and left sides
► Body parts close to the midline, or plane,
are called medial
► Body parts away from the midline are called
lateral
Frontal (or Coronal) Plane
► Divides
the body into front and back
sections
► Body parts in front of plane, or on the front
of the body are called ventral, or anterior
► Body parts in back of plane, or on the back
of the body are called dorsal, or posterior
Planes, Directions and Cavities
► Two
other directional terms are:
 Proximal
 Distal
► These
terms are used to describe the location of
the extremities in relation to the main trunk of the
body (generally called the point of reference)
► Body parts close to the point of reference are
called proximal
► Body parts distant from the point of reference are
called distal
Body Cavities
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Illu_body_cavities.jpg
Planes, Directions and Cavities
► Body
cavities
 Spaces within body that contain vital organs
 Two main body cavities
►Dorsal
or posterior
 One long, continuous cavity located on back of body
 Divided into two sections: cranial, which contains the
brain, and the spinal cavity, which contains the spinal
cord
Planes, Directions and Cavities
► Body
cavities
► Ventral
or anterior
 Larger than dorsal cavities
 Separated into two distinct cavities by diaphragm
 Thoracic cavity is located in chest and contains esophagus,
trachea, bronchi, lungs, heart, and large blood vessels
 Abdominal cavity is divided into upper and lower parts
► Upper abdominal cavity contains stomach, small intestine,
most of large intestine, appendix, liver, gallbladder, pancreas,
and spleen
► Lower abdominal cavity, or pelvic cavity, contains the
urinary bladder, reproductive organs, and the last part of the
large intestine
► Three
small cavities are orbital, nasal, and buccal, or oral
Abdominal Regions
► Abdominal
regions
 Abdominal cavity is so large it is divided into
regions
 One method is into quadrants (RUQ, LUQ, RLQ,
LLQ)
 Another method is into regions
Abdominal Regions
► Center
regions
 Epigastric (above stomach)
 Umbilical (near the umbilicus)
 Hypogastric (below stomach)
► Either
side of center regions
 Hypochondriac (below ribs)
 Lumbar (near large bones of spinal column)
 Iliac, or inguinal (near the groin)
Quadrants versus Regions
http://anatomy.med.umich.edu/abdomen/abdo_wall_ans.html