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Anterior or Ventral
- The front surface or belly side
- ex: navel is on anterior surface of the trunk
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Posterior or Dorsal
- The back surface
- ex: scapula is posterior to the rib cage
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Cranial or Cephalic
In or toward the head
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Caudal
- In or toward the tail, known as coccyx in humans
- ex: hips are caudal to the waist
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Superior
- Above; at a higher level
- ex: cranial border(iliac crest) of the pelvis is superior to the thigh
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Proximal
- Toward an attached base, closer to attachment points
- ex: thigh proximal to the foot, (thigh closer to pelvis) & moving proximally from the wrist brings you to the elbow
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Distal
- Away from an attached base or attachment point
- ex: fingers distal to the wrist, moving distally from the elbow brings you to the wrist
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Superficial
- At, near, or relatively close to the body surface
- ex: skin is superficial to underlying structures and tissues
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Deep
- Farther from the body surface
- ex: the bone of the thigh is deep to the surrounding skeletal muscles
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Medial
- Toward the body's longitudinal axis, toward the midsagittal plane
- ex: medial surfaces of thighs may be in contact
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Lateral
- Away from longitudinal axis and midsagittal plane
- ex: moving laterally from the nose brings you to the cheeks
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Transverse section (also horizontal section)
Separates superior and inferior portions of the body; a cut in this plane is called a cross section
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Sagittal section
Separates right and left portions
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Midsagittal section (also median section)
The plane passes through the midline, dividing the body into equal right and left halves
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Parasagittal section
A cut parallel to the midsagittal plane, separates the body into unequal right and left portions
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Frontal section (also coronal section)
Separates anterior and posterior portions of the body, coronal usually refers to sections passing through the skull
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