Directional terms of Anatomy

Anatomical positional terms allow us to know the location of on body structure in relation to another. These include the following.

* Superior- Toward the head end or upper part of a structure or the body. above.

          Exp: the thorax is superior to the abdomen.

* Inferior- Away from the head end or toward the bottom. Below.

          Exp: The legs are inferior to the trunk.

* Anterior- Toward the front of the body.  

Exp: The navel is on the anterior side of the body.

* Posterior- Toward the back of the body: behind.

           Exp: The heart is posterior to the ribs.

* Medial- Toward the midline of the body.

Exp: The heart is medial to the lungs.

* Lateral- Away from the midline of the body.

Exp: The arms are lateral to the chest.

*  Proximal- Closer to the origin of the body part of the point of attachment of a

limb to the body trunk. 

Exp: The elbow is proximal to the wrist.

* Distal- Further from the ordain of a body part or the pint of attachment of a

limb to the body trunk.  

Exp: The knee is distal to the thigh.

* Superficial- Toward the surface of the body.

           Exp: The skin is superficial to the skeletal muscle.

* Deep- Away from the surface of the body.

           Exp: The brain is deep to cranium.