Where is anatomy located

Directional terms describe the positions of structures relative to other structures or locations in the body. Superior or cranial - toward the head end of the body; upper example, the hand is part of the superior extremity.

Inferior or caudal - away from the head; lower example, the foot is part of the inferior extremity. Anterior or ventral - front example, the kneecap is located on the anterior side of the leg.

Posterior or dorsal - back example, the shoulder blades are located on the posterior side of the body. Medial - toward the midline of the body example, the middle toe is located at the medial side of the foot. Lateral - away from the midline of the body example, the little toe is located at the lateral side of the foot. Like you use the cardinal directions to explain the location of certain regions north, northwest, southeast, etc. An imaginary vertical line that divides the body equally right down the middle.

In many instances, these terms can be paired. For example, a posterosuperior view combines the posterior and superior, giving us a view in which we are looking down at the back of the body, like so:.

With me so far? And there you have it: a crash course in anatomical position and directional terms. Curious about planes and cavities? Check out part two of this post! This post was originally published in Be sure to subscribe to the Visible Body Blog for more anatomy awesomeness! To make sure everyone is talking about the same thing, anatomists and physiologists often refer to anatomical position and the body planes that penetrate it. Anatomical position describes a person standing upright, with the arms at the sides and the palms facing forward as demonstrated in the image below.

Body planes a plane is a flat, two-dimensional surface are imaginary surfaces that run through the body and divide it into different sections. We can talk about a specific location using the planes as reference points within the anatomical position. Figure 1. Sagittal, Coronal, and Transverse body planes and their intersections. There are an infinite number of planes running through the human body in all directions. However, we will focus on the three planes that are traditionally used when discussing human anatomy see Figure 1.

First is the transverse plane, also called the horizontal plane , which divides the body into top and bottom. In anatomical position, transverse planes are parallel to the ground. The technician will use special skills to process samples of biological tissues. The tissues may come from:. The process involves:. Next, a histopathologist examines the cells and tissues and interprets what they see. To become a histotechnologist in the United States, a person needs certification from the American Society for Clinical Pathology.

They can start by taking a degree that includes math, biology, and chemistry, then getting onsite experience. Or, a person can attend an accredited histology program. Higher qualifications are also available. To become a pathologist, a person usually needs a degree from a medical school, which takes 4 years to complete, plus 3—7 years of internship and residency programs. Paramedics, nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, medical doctors, prosthetists, and biological scientists all need a knowledge of anatomy.

Neurologists specialize in diagnosing and treating conditions that affect the nervous system. Here, learn about the conditions they treat and the…. An endocrinologist specializes in all things relating to our hormones. Conditions affected by hormones range from thyroid problems to diabetes and…. Cardiology deals with all things associated with the heart and the arteries.

Find out who might need a cardiologist, and a cardiology visit could…. Physical therapy aims to help patients maintain, recover or improve physical ability that may be impaired due to a condition or injury. Osteopathy treats the musculoskeletal framework.