Body Planes, Body Planes, Directions, and Directions, and

CavitiesCavities

IntroductionIntroduction► to care for patients, you must be able to to care for patients, you must be able to

identify areas of the body for treatments, identify areas of the body for treatments, injections, or diagnosesinjections, or diagnoses

► directional terms locate a portion of the body directional terms locate a portion of the body or describe a position of the body eg. or describe a position of the body eg. supinesupine or or proneprone

► for examination purposes, patients are either for examination purposes, patients are either lying face up (lying face up (supinesupine) or face down () or face down (proneprone))

Body PlanesBody Planes Imaginary lines drawn through body at Imaginary lines drawn through body at

various parts to separate body into various parts to separate body into sectionssections

Directional terms are created by these Directional terms are created by these planesplanes

Three main planes:Three main planes:►TransverseTransverse►Sagittal (Midsagittal)Sagittal (Midsagittal)►FrontalFrontal

Transverse PlaneTransverse Plane► Horizontal plane that divides the body into top and Horizontal plane that divides the body into top and

bottom partsbottom parts► Body parts above other parts are called Body parts above other parts are called superiorsuperior► Body parts below other parts are called Body parts below other parts are called inferiorinferior► ex: knee is superior to ankle, but inferior to hipex: knee is superior to ankle, but inferior to hip

Sagittal PlaneSagittal Plane► divides the body into right and left sidesdivides the body into right and left sides►Midsagittal plane divides the body into equal halvesMidsagittal plane divides the body into equal halves► Body parts close to the midline, or plane, are called Body parts close to the midline, or plane, are called

medialmedial► Body parts away from the midline are called Body parts away from the midline are called laterallateral

Frontal or Coronal PlaneFrontal or Coronal Plane►Divides the body into front and back sectionsDivides the body into front and back sections► Body parts in front of plane, or on the front of Body parts in front of plane, or on the front of

the body are called the body are called anterioranterior► Body parts in back of plane, or on the back of Body parts in back of plane, or on the back of

the body are called the body are called posteriorposterior

Other Directional TermsOther Directional Terms► Proximal: body parts close to the main trunk of Proximal: body parts close to the main trunk of

the body (generally called the the body (generally called the point of point of reference)reference)

►Distal: body parts distant from the point of Distal: body parts distant from the point of referencereference

► Superficial: toward the body surfaceSuperficial: toward the body surface►Deep: away from the body surfaceDeep: away from the body surface

BodyBody CavitiesCavities►Spaces within body that contain Spaces within body that contain

vital organsvital organs Two main body cavities:Two main body cavities:

1.1. DorsalDorsal One long, continuous cavity One long, continuous cavity

located on back of bodylocated on back of body Divided into two sections: Divided into two sections: cranialcranial, ,

which contains the brain, and the which contains the brain, and the spinal cavityspinal cavity, which contains the , which contains the spinal cordspinal cord

BodyBody CavitiesCavities2.2. VentralVentral

on the front side of the bodyon the front side of the body Separated into two distinct parts Separated into two distinct parts

by by diaphragmdiaphragm Thoracic cavityThoracic cavity is located in is located in

chest and contains heart, lungs chest and contains heart, lungs and major blood vesselsand major blood vessels

Abdominal cavityAbdominal cavity is divided is divided into upper and lower partsinto upper and lower parts►Upper abdominal cavityUpper abdominal cavity

contains organs of digestive contains organs of digestive and urinary systemand urinary system

►Pelvic cavityPelvic cavity contains contains reproductive organsreproductive organs

Abdominal CavityAbdominal Cavity Abdominal cavity is so Abdominal cavity is so

large it is divided into large it is divided into smaller partssmaller parts

One method is into One method is into quadrants (Right quadrants (Right Upper Quadrant, Left Upper Quadrant, Left Upper Quadrant, Right Upper Quadrant, Right Lower Quadrant, Left Lower Quadrant, Left Lower Quadrant)Lower Quadrant)

Another method is Another method is into regionsinto regions

Abdominal RegionsAbdominal Regions►Center regionCenter region

EpigastricEpigastric (above stomach) (above stomach) UmbilicalUmbilical (near the (near the

umbilicus or navel)umbilicus or navel) HypogastricHypogastric (below navel) (below navel)

►Either side of center regionEither side of center region HypochondriacHypochondriac (below ribs) (below ribs) LumbarLumbar (near the waist) (near the waist) IliacIliac, or inguinal (near the , or inguinal (near the

hipbone)hipbone)

Apply your KnowledgeApply your Knowledge►Loretta complains of abdominal pain. The emergency room Loretta complains of abdominal pain. The emergency room

physician suspects that she may have appendicitis.physician suspects that she may have appendicitis.► In which of the following quadrants is the appendix In which of the following quadrants is the appendix

located?located?

A. RUQB. RLQC. LUQD. LLQ

Answer: B. RLQ

Apply your KnowledgeApply your Knowledge►This patient is being examined. Which This patient is being examined. Which

of the following positions is she in?of the following positions is she in?

Answer: B. Supine

A. ProneB. Supine

Apply your KnowledgeApply your Knowledge►Complete the following statements by adding the correct directional terms.Complete the following statements by adding the correct directional terms.

1.1.The hands are ________________ to the elbow.The hands are ________________ to the elbow. distaldistal

2.2.The nose is _______________ to the ear.The nose is _______________ to the ear. medialmedial

3.3.The stomach is _____________ to the heart and ________________ to the intestines.The stomach is _____________ to the heart and ________________ to the intestines. inferior, superiorinferior, superior

►answers: distal, medial, inferior, superioranswers: distal, medial, inferior, superior

Apply your KnowledgeApply your Knowledge►What are the What are the oppositesopposites for the for the

following directional terms?following directional terms?

•deep

•posterior

•inferior

•supine

•lateral

superficial

anterior

superior

prone

medial