-
superior (cranial)
- closer to the head
- Ex: the lungs are superior to the stomach
-
inferior (caudal)
- closer to the feet
- ex: the liver is inferior to the heart
-
anterior (ventral)
- closer to the front
- ex: the trachea is anterior to the esophagus
-
posterior (dorsal)
- closer to the back
- ex: the vertebral column is posterior to the heart
-
medial
- closer to the midline
- ex: the nose is medial to the cheek
-
lateral
- farther from the midline
- ex: the spleen is lateral to the pancreas
-
intermediate
- between a more medial and more lateral structure
- ex: the clavicle is intermediate to the sternum and the shoulders
-
proximal
- (pertaining to limbs) closer to the trunk
- ex: the shoulder is proximal to the elbow
-
distal
- (pertaining to the limb) farther from the trunk
- Ex: the wrist is distal to the elbow
-
superficial (external)
- closer to or on the surface
- ex: the skin is superficial to the skeletal muscles
-
deep (internal)
- farther from the surface
- ex: the bones are deep in the skin
-
parietal
- pertaining to the wall of a body cavity
- ex: the membrane lining the pleural cavity is the parietal pleura
-
visceral
- pertaining to an organ
- ex: the membrane that covers the surface of the lungs i the visceral pleura
-
ipsilateral
- on the same side of the body
- ex: the right lung is ipsilateral to the gallbladder
-
contralateral
- on the opposite side of the body
- ex: the left arm is contralateral to the right leg
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