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Chapter 3

Directional Terms, Anatomic Planes, Regions, and Quadrants

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Purpose of Directional Terms,

directional terms: used to describe the relative position of one part of the body to another

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Anatomic Position

Body is viewed as erect, arms at the side with palms of the hands facing forward, and feet placed side by side. Whether the patient is standing or lying down face up, the directional terms are the same.

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Combining Forms for Directional Terms

anter/o

caud/o

cephal/o

dist/o

dors/o

infer/o

later/o

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Combining Forms for Directional Terms

medi/o

poster/o

proxim/o

super/o

ventr/o

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Prefixes bi- uni-

Suffixes -ad -ior

Prefixes and Suffixes

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Directional Terms

anterioranteroposterior (AP)bilateralcaudalcephalicdistaldorsalinferior

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Directional Terms (cont’d)

lateralmedialmediolateralposteriorproximalposteroanterior (PA)superiorunilateralventral

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Directional Terms

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Purpose Anatomic Planes

anatomic planes: used to describe the location of internal organs and structures

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Anatomic Planes

frontal or coronal: vertical field passing through the body from side to side, dividing the body into anterior and posterior portionsmidsagittal: vertical field running through the body from front to back; divides body into right and left halves

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Anatomic Planes

sagittal: vertical field running through the body from front to back—divides body into uneven right and left halvestransverse: horizontal field dividing the body into upper and lower portions

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Abdominopelvic Regions

To assist medical personnel to locate medical problems with greater accuracy and for identification purposes, the abdomen is divided into regions:

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Abdominopelvic Regions

hypochondriac (right & left)epigastriclumbar (right & left)

umbilicaliliac (right & left)hypogastric

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Abdominopelvic Quadrants

Right upper quadrant: RUQ

Left upper quadrant: LUQ

Right lower quadrant: RLQ

Left lower quadrant: LLQ

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Abdominopelvic Quadrants

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Abbreviations

ant

AP

inf

lat

LLQ

LUQ

Med

PA

RLQ

RUQ

Sup