What is lateral and medial in anatomy?

A lateral orientation is a position away from the midline of the body. For instance, the arms are lateral to the chest, and the ears are lateral to the head. A medial orientation is a position toward the midline of the body. An example of medial orientation is the eyes, which are medial to the ears on the head.

What is an example of medial and lateral?

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).

What does distal mean in anatomy?

(DIS-tul) In medicine, refers to a part of the body that is farther away from the center of the body than another part. For example, the fingers are distal to the shoulder. The opposite is proximal.

What is lateral used for?

When Would You Put a Patient in the Lateral Position? The lateral position is used for surgical access to the thorax, kidney, retroperitoneal space, and hip. Depending on the side of the body on which the patient is being operated, the patient will lie on their left or right side.

Where is the lateral on the body?

Lateral means to the side of, or away from, the middle of the body. Examples: The ears are lateral to the nose. The arms are lateral to the chest.

Which way is laterally?

Lateral means relating to the sides of something, or moving in a sideways direction.

What does proximally mean in anatomy?

Proximal means nearer to the center (trunk of the body) or to the point of attachment to the body. If another reference point is given, such as the heart, the proximal point of another organ or extremity is the point closest to the heart, central rather than peripheral. Proximal is the opposite of distal.

What is a lateral position in nursing?

Definition. Lateral position. The lateral position is described as side‐lying with pillows strategically placed along the patient’s back, and possibly buttocks, and a pillow placed between the patient’s flexed legs to prevent adduction and internal rotation of the hip.

What is lateral in biology?

Lateral: 1. In anatomy, the side of the body or a body part that is farther from the middle or center of the body. Typically, lateral refers to the outer side of the body part, but it is also used to refer to the side of a body part.

What is lateral to the trunk?

Medial/Lateral–Equivalent to towards the middle or towards the edge. Used with respect to the midline of the trunk of a body in anatomical position. A structure that medial to another is closer to the midline of the body’s trunk. A feature that is lateral to another is farther away from the midline of the trunk.

What is distal and proximal?

Distal refers to sites located away from a specific area, most often the center of the body. In medicine, it refers to parts of the body further away from the center. For example, the hand is distal to the shoulder. … Distal is the opposite of proximal. Distal refers to distance, while proximal indicates proximity.

What is proximal part?

Proximal: Toward the beginning, the nearer of two (or more) items. For example, the proximal end of the femur is part of the hip joint, and the shoulder is proximal to the elbow. The opposite of proximal is distal.

What is left and right in anatomy?

When referencing a structure that is on one side of the body or the other, we use the terms “anatomical right” and “anatomical left.” Anatomical right means that the structure is on the side that a person in anatomical position would consider their right-hand side (not necessarily on the right of the viewer) and …

What is the side of your body called?

The pelvis is inferior to the abdomen. Lateral describes the side or direction toward the side of the body. The thumb (pollex) is lateral to the digits. Medial describes the middle or direction toward the middle of the body.

What is dorsal and ventral side?

In general, ventral refers to the front of the body, and dorsal refers to the back. These terms are also known as anterior and posterior, respectively. … Similarly, for the feet, the dorsal side is the top of the foot, or the area facing upwards when standing upright.

Is lateral left or right?

Medial and lateral: Medial refers to being toward the midline of the body or the median plane, which splits the body, head-to-toe, into two halves, the left and right. Lateral is the side of the body or part of the body that is away from the middle.

Is anterior right or left?

Left: Toward the patient’s left. Anterior/ventral: Front, or toward the front of the body.

How many cavities are in the body?

two
Humans. The human body has two main body cavities.

How are directional terms used in anatomy?

Are the ears lateral to the shoulders?

The ears are (superior) and (distal) to the shoulders and (posterior) to the nose. The heart is (anterior) to the vertebral column -spine- and (medial) to the lungs. The elbow is (proximal) to the fingers but (distal) to the shoulder.

What is lateral to medial?

Something that is farther away from the midline is lateral, while something that is closer to the midline is termed medial. Hence, the dot farthest away from the midline is on the lateral aspect of your body and is lateral to the dot closest to the midline.