Standard Anatomical Position

(Definition)

Standard Anatomical Position:

Definitions:

a. Left

b. Right

c. Cranial

d. Postcranial

e. Axial

f. Appendicular

g. Sagittal

h. Parasagittal

i. Coronal

j. Transverse

k. Orthograde

l. Pronograde

a. Left - left side of the subject being observed, not the viewer's perspective

b. Right - right side of the subject being observed, not the viewer's perspective

c. Cranial - referring to the skull

d. Postcranial - referring to the remainer of the skeleton

e. Axial - the bones of the trunk (including vertebrae, sacrum, ribs & sternum)

f. Appendicular - the bones of the limbs (including shoulder and pelvic girdles)

g. Sagittal (midsagittal/median/midline) - refers to the plane dividing the body into symmetrical right and left halves

h. Parasagittal - any planar slice through the body that parallels the sagittal plane

i. Coronal (frontal) - divides the body into anterior and posterior halves and is placed at right angles to the sagittal plane

j. Transverse (horizontal) - slices through the body at any height but always passes perpendicular to the sagittal and frontal planes

k. Orthograde - trunk upright (bipeds)

l. Pronograde - trunk horizontal (quadrupeds)

General Anatomical Positions

Definitions:

a. Superior

b. Inferior

c. Anterior

d. Posterior

e. Medial

f. Lateral

g. Proximal

h. Distal

i. External

j. Internal

k. Endocranial

l. Ectocranial

m. Superficial

n. Deep

o. Subcutaneous

a. Superior - toward the head end of the hominid body. (aka: cephalic & cranial used synonymously for bipeds/quadrupeds)

b. Inferior - opposite of superior for hominids. (aka: caudal [toward the tail] used for quadrupeds)

c. Anterior - toward the front of the hominid body. (aka: Ventral [toward the belly] for quads)

d. Posterior - opposite of anterior for hominids. (aka: Dorsal for quads)

e. Medial - toward the midline

f. Lateral - away from the midline

g. Proximal - nearest the axial skeleton

h. Distal - opposite of proximal

i. External - outer

j. Internal - inner

k. Endocranial - inner surface of the cranial vault

l. Ectocranial - outer surface of the cranial vault

m. Superficial - close to the surface

n. Deep - opposite of superficial, far from the surface

o. Subcutaneous - just below the skin

Dental Anatomical Positions

Definitions:

a. Mesial

b. Distal

c. Lingual

d. Labial

e. Buccal

f. Interproximal

g. Occlusal

h. Incisal

i. Mesiodental

j. Buccolingual & Labiolingual

a. Mesial - toward the midline point of the dental arch where the central incisors contact each other

b. Distal - opposite of mesial

c. Lingual - toward the tongue

d. Labial - opposite of lingual. toward the lips

e. Buccal - opposite of lingual. toward the cheeks

f. Interproximal - in contact with adjacent teeth in the same jaw [where dental floss gets stuck]

g. Occlusal - facing opposing the dental arch

h. Incisal - the biting (or occlusal) edge of the incisors

i. Mesiodental - axis running from mesial to distal

j. Buccolingual & Labiolingual - axis running from labial or buccal to lingual

Anatomical Positions of the Hands and Feet

Definitions:

a. Palmar

b. Plantar

c. Dorsal

a. Palmar - palm side of the hand

b. Plantar - sole of the foot

c. Dorsal - top of the foot or back of the hand

General Motions of the Body

Definition:

Flexion

a bending movement that decreases the angle between body parts. 

ie: hand clenched into a fist - strong flexion of the phalanges on the metacarpal heads

General Motions of the Body

Definition:

opposite of flexion.

a straightening movement that increases the angle between body parts. 

ie: karate chop - rigid hand, fingers extended

ie: dorsal swing of the hip or shoulder joints

General Motions of the Body

Definition:

movement of a body part, usually a limb, away from the sagittal plane.

ie: arm raised to the side = abduction of the arm

ie: spreading fingers/toes apart = abduction

General Motions of the Body

Definition:

opposite of abduction.

movement of a body part, usually a limb, toward the sagittal plane.

ie: slapping arms down to the sides of the thighs = adduction

General Motions of the Body

Definition:

a combination of adduction and abduction, as well as flexion and extension:

appendage being moved in a cone-shaped path

ie: signaling another car driver to pass along

General Motions of the Body

Definition:

motion that occurs as one body part turns on an axis

ie: the head of the radius rotates on the distal humerus

General Motions of the Body

Definition:

motion in which body parts are brought together.

ie: thumb + finger tips = pinching = opposition

General Motions of the Hands and Feet

Definition:

rotary motion of the forearm that turns the palm from anteriorly facing (thumb lateral) to posteriorly facing (thumb medial).

ie: typing on a keyboard

opposite of pronation:

rotary motion of the forearm that returns the palm to a position in which the thumb is lateral.

ie: chimpanzees beg for food with the hands in supination

flexion of the entire foot away from the ground

ie: walking on your heels = dorsiflexed

opposite of dorsiflexion.

flexing of the entire foot inferiorly, toward the ground at the ankle

ie: ballerina walking on her toes

turning the sole of the foot outward so that it faces away from the midline of the body. 

aka: pronation of the foot

turning the sole of the foot inward so that it faces toward the midline of the body.

aka: supination of the foot

General Projections and Parts

Definition:

Process

a bony prominence

ie: styloid process

a bony projection; usually not as prominent as a process

ie: the articular EMINENCE of the temporal bone is the rounded area with which the mandicular condyle articulates during chewing

generally a longer, thinner, sharper process than an eminence

ie: vertebral SPINES are used in IDing various vertebrae

a large, usually rugose (roughened) eminence of variable shape; often a ite of tendon or ligament attachment.

ie: the deltoid TUBEROSITY makes the shaft of the humerus

a small, usually rugose (roughened) eminence; often a site of tendon or ligament attachment. 

ie: the conoid TUBERCULE is found on the inferior edge of the clavicle

a smooth, round, broad eminence.

ie: female skulls tend to show more BOSSING of the frontal bone than those of males

an area where adjacent bones are in contact (via cartilage or fibrous tissue) at a joint.

ie: the most proximal surface of the tibia is said to ARTICULATE with the distal end of the femur

a rounded articular process. 

ie: the occipital condyles lie on the base of the cranium and articulate with uppermost vertebra, the atlas.

a nonarticular projection adjacent to a condyle.

ie: the lateral EPICONDYLE of the humerus is located just proximal to the elbow, adjacent to the lateral condylar surface.

a large, rounded, usually articular end of a bone.

ie: the HEAD of the humerus is the proximal end of the bone

the long, straight section between the ends of a long bone.

ie: the femoral SHAFT is roughly circular in cross section

in general usage: usually the end portion or extremity of a long bone that is expanded for articulation

ie:  the proximal EPIPHYSIS of the tibia is the expanded end of the bone that articulates with the femur

the section of a boen between the head and the shaft

ie: the NECK of the femur is long relative to the size of the femoral head in some early hominids

a bony thickening

ie: the supraorbital TORUS on some Homo erectus frontal bones is very thick

a linear bony elevation, often roughened.

ie: the lateral supracondylar RIDGE of the humerus borders the bone above the lateral epicondyle

a prominent, usually sharp and thin ridge of bone; often formed between adjacent muscle masses.

ie: the sagittal CREST is a structure that forms during the development of large temporalis muscles in the gorilla

a raised linear surface, not as thick as a torus or as sharp as a crest.

ie: the inferior temporal LINES mark the superior extent of the temporalis muscles

a hook-shaped projection

ie: the HAMULUS of the wrist's hamate bone gives the bone its name

a small articular surface, or a tooth contact.

ie: bodies of the thoracic vertebrae have FACETS for articulation with the heads of ribs.

a depressed area; usually broad and shallow.

ie: the olecranon FOSSA is located on the posterior surface of the distal humerus.

a long pit or furrow

ie: the intertubecular GROOVE passes between two tubercles on the humerus

a long, wide groove

ie: a strong supratoral SULCUS is present on African ape crania but is weak or absent on Australopithecus crania

a space between cranial bones of an infant

an opening through a bone; usually a passage for blood vessels and nerves.

ie: mental foramen

a tunnel-like, extended foramen.

ie: the carotid CANAL is found at the base of the skull

a short canal

ie: the external auditory MEATUS is the canal that connects the middle and outer ear

a cavity within a cranial bone.

ie: the frontal SINUS is well developed in some early hominid crania

a tooth socket

ie: the canine ALVEOLUS in the mandible is deeper than the incisor alveolus.