Anatomical Location Terms

  • Anterior towards the front of the body

  • Posterior towards the back of the body

  • Ventral towards the front of the torso

  • Dorsal towards the back of the torso

  • Medial towards the centre or the mid line of the body

  • Lateral towards the outside or away from the midline of the body

  • Peripheral towards the outside of the body

  • Inferior below or towards the bottom of the body

  • Superior above or towards the top of the body

  • Proximal towards the centre of the body or another structure

  • Distal away from the centre of the body or another structure

  • Longitudinal vertically along the body

  • Transverse horizontally across the body

  • Sagittal median towards the plane that divides the left and right halves of the body

  • Coronal towards the plane that divides the front and back halves of the body

  • Palmer towards the palm of the hand

  • Planter on or towards the sole of the foot

  • Dorsi on or towards the back of the hand, or top of foot

  • Axillary towards the armpit

  • Caudal towards the buttocks

  • Cranial towards the head

  • Inguinal towards the groin