Question | Answer |
Close to or toward front of body (or organ) | Anterior (Ventral) |
Toward rear or back of body (or organ) | Posterior (Dorsal/Dorsum) |
Toward the head. Often used to indicate CR (central Ray) angle | Cephalad/Cephalic |
Away from the head; directed toward the tail. Often used to indicate CR angle | Caudal/Caudad |
Closer to the head end or situated above; corresponds to "cranial" (skull) | Superior |
Away from the head. Corresponds to "caudal" (tail) | Inferior |
Refers to the mid-area or the main part of an organ | Central |
Refers to parts at or near the surface, edge, or outer part of a body part | Peripheral |
Structures near the sides, away from or farther from the midline of the body | Lateral |
Structures near the midline or median plane | Medial |
Named according to side of patient closest to IR | Lateral Projection |
Parts farthest from the point of attachment | Distal |
Structures close to the point of attachment of the body | Proximal |
Situated on or near the outside | External (Exterior) |
Nearer to the center | Internal (Interior) |
Vertical, upright position | Erect |
Lying down | Recumbent |
Entire body or body part is rotated at a certain angle | Oblique |
Palm (anterior or ventral dide) of hand | Palmar (Volar) |
Inferior surface (sole) of foot | Plantar |
Top (anterior) surface of foot. Also refers to back of posterior surface of hand | Dorsum/Dorsal |
Lateral movement of the arm or leg away from the body | Abduct/Abduction |
Motion that pulls a structure or part toward the midline of the body, or towards the midline of a limb | Adduct/Adduction |
Straightening movement that increases the angle between body parts | Extension |
Forced or excessive extension of a limb or joint | Hyperextension |
Bending movement that decreases the angle between two parts | Flexion |
Forced excessive flexion of a limb or joint | Hyperflexion |
Movement of the foot that flexes the foot or toes downward toward the sole | Plantar Flexion |
The process of lifting the foot or hand in a direction that draws the fingers or toes closer to the body. | Dorsiflexion |
Outward turning of foot at the ankle. A lateral eversion of the leg = VALGUS STRESS | Evert/Eversion |
Inward turning of foot at the ankle. A medial inversion = VARUS STRESS | Invert/Inversion |
Palm faces down | Pronate/Pronation |
Palm faces up | Supinate/Supination |
To turn a body part on its axis | Rotation |
Rotation toward midline of body | Medial/Internal Rotation |
Rotation away from midline | Lateral/External Rotation |
Turning away from the regular course | Deviate/Deviation |
On one side | Unilateral |
On both sides | Bilateral |
Describes path of x-ray beam from where it enters patient to where it exits | Projection |
X-ray beam enters the front; exits back of patient | AP(Antero-Posterior) Projection |
X-ray beam enters back of patient; exits front | PA(Postero-Anterior) Projection |
Perpendicular beam enters one side of body/body part; exits opposite side. Cr is parallel to coronal plane and perpendicular to sagittal plane | Lateral Projection |
CR entering medial side of an extremity and exiting lateral side of that extremity | Mediolateral |
CR entering later side of an extremity and exiting medial side of that extremity | Lateromedial |
Path of beam with an angle of 10 degrees or more | Axial Projection |