Body Cavities and

Directional Terms

Body is standing, arms at side, palms facing forward, head and feet forward

This is the position the body is in when using directional terminology

Ipsilateral: on the same sideContralateral: on the opposite side

Anatomical Position

The body is not solidContains 2 major cavities which are then subdivided

Ventral Cavity: includes the thoracic (or chest) cavity and the abdominopelvic cavity

Dorsal Cavity: includes cranial and spinal cavities

Body Cavities

Thoracic Cavity: contains a RIGHT and LEFT PLEURAL cavity; midpoint is the MEDIASTINUM

Organs in the mediastinum: heart, trachea, right and left bronchi, esophagus, thymus, blood vessels, parts of the lymph system, and nerves

Organs in the pleural cavity: right and left lungs

Thoracic Cavity

Has upper portion (Abdominal cavity) and lower portion (pelvic cavity)

Abdominal Cavity contains: liver, gall bladder, stomach, pancreas, intestines, spleen, kidneys, ureters

Pelvic Cavity contains: bladders, certain reproductive organs, colon, rectum

In females: uterus, uterine tubes, ovaries

In males: prostate gland, seminal vesicle, vas deferens

Abdominopelvic Cavity

Cranial cavity lies in the skull and houses the brain

Spinal Cavity lies in spinal column and houses the spinal cord

Dorsal Cavity

Parietal: actual wall of the body cavity or the membrane that lines its surface

Visceral: not the wall or lining of the body cavity but the membranes that cover the organs, or viscera, within the cavity

Important Terms

Body can be divided into two major portions: axial and appendicular

Axial includes: head, neck, torso and trunk

Appendicular includes: upper and lower extremities and their connections (pelvic and pectoral girdles)

Each of these are divided into regions

Body Regions

Diagram and Table for Terminology***

Body Region Terminology

Divided into 9 regions to help locate organs

Right Hypochondriac: right lobe of liver and gall bladder

Epigastric: part of right and left liver lobes, portion of stomach

Left Hypochondriac: small portion of stomach and large intestines

Right Lumbar: portions of large and small intestines

Abdominal Region

Umbilical: transverse colon, loops of small intestines

Left Lumbar: small intestine, portion of colon

Right Iliac: cecum, parts of small intestines

Hypogastric: small intestines, urinary bladder, appendix

Left Iliac: portions of small intestines, colon

Abdominal Region

Helps to describe the site of abdominal pain or locate pathology

Horizontal and vertical line passing through the umbilicus (navel) divides intoRight Upper QuadrantLeft Upper QuadrantRight Lower QuadrantLeft Lower Quadrant

Abdominopelvic Quadrants

Superior: toward the head; upper/aboveInferior: toward the feet; lower/belowAnterior: front; in front of Posterior: back; in back ofMedial: Toward the midline of the bodyLateral: toward the side; away from the

midlineProximal: toward or nearest to the trunkDistal: away from the trunkSuperficial: near the surfaceDeep: farther from the body surface

Directional Terms

Lumen: the hollow portion of an organ

Central: near the centerPeripheral: near the boundary or

edgeMedullary: inner region of an organCortical: outer region or layer of an

organBasal: widest point of an organApical: narrowest tip of an organ

Organ Terms

Sagittal Plane: lengthwise plane running from front to back; divides into left and right

Coronal Plane: lengthwise plane running from left to right; divides into front and back (also called frontal plane)

Transverse Plane: crosswise plane; divides into upper and lower quadrants (also called horizontal plane)

Body Planes and Sections

Somatype: used to describe body build or physique

ENDOMORPH: heavy, rounded physique characterized large accumulations of fat in trunk and thighs

MESOMORPH: muscular physiqueECTOMORPH: thin, fragile physique

characterized by little body fat accumulation

Body Types

Constant state maintained by the body

Maintaining a constant internal environment inside the body by the body systems

P.23 Figure 1-13

Homeostasis