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Anterior
- in front of; toward the front surface
- e.g. stomach is anterior to the spinal cord
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Posterior
- In back of; toward the back surface
- e.g. heart is posterior to sternum
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Dorsal
- Toward back side of human body
- e.g. Spinal cord is on the dorsal side of the body
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Ventral
- Toward the belly side of the human body
- e.g. The Umbilicus (navel, belly button) is on the ventral side of the body
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Superior
- Closer to the head
- The chest is superior to the pelvis
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Inferior
- Closer to the feet
- Stomach is inferior to the heart
-
Caudal
- at the rear or tail end
- Abdomen is caudal to the head
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Cranial (cephalic)
- at the head end
- Shoulders are cranial to the feet
-
Rostral
- Toward the nose or mouth
- Frontal lobe is rostral to the occipital lobe
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Medial
- Toward midline of the body
- The lungs are medial to the shoulders
-
Lateral
- Away from midline of the body
- The arms are lateral to the heart
-
Ipsilateral
- On the same side
- Right arm is ipsilateral to the right leg
-
Contralateral
- On the opposite side
- The right arm is contralateral to the left leg
-
Deep
- On the inside, internal to another structure
- The heart is deep to the ribcage
-
Superficial
- On the outside, external to another structure
- The skin is superficial to the biceps brachii muscle
-
Proximal
- Closest point of attachment to trunk
- The elbow is proximal to the hand
-
Distal
- Furthest point of attachment to trunk
- The wrist is distal to the elbow
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