Human Anatomy
Anatomical Terminology
Anatomical terminology for MBBS: anatomical position, planes, terms of relation and movement, mapped to NMC codes AN1.1 and AN1.2.
MedNext Academy | 3 min read
Anatomical Terminology
Anatomical terminology for MBBS: anatomical position, planes, terms of relation and movement, mapped to NMC codes AN1.1 and AN1.2.
Anatomical terminology gives every student the shared language used to describe position, planes and movement throughout the whole course. Getting these terms fixed early makes every later region, from limb to viscera, easier to read and describe precisely.
High-yield: Anatomical Terminology
- The anatomical position is standing erect, eyes forward, arms by the side with palms facing forward, and feet together.
- The median plane divides the body into equal right and left halves; a sagittal plane is any plane parallel to it.
- The coronal plane divides the body into front and back parts, and the transverse plane divides it into upper and lower parts.
- Anterior means towards the front and posterior towards the back; ventral and dorsal are the equivalents used in the trunk.
- Proximal means nearer the trunk or root of a limb, and distal means further from it.
- Medial means towards the median plane and lateral means away from it.
- Superficial means nearer the surface and deep means further from the surface.
- Flexion decreases the angle at a joint and extension increases it; at the ankle these are called dorsiflexion and plantarflexion.
- Abduction moves a part away from the midline and adduction moves it towards the midline.
- Pronation turns the palm to face backwards or downwards, and supination turns it to face forwards or upwards.
- Inversion turns the sole of the foot to face medially and eversion turns it to face laterally.
- Circumduction is a combination of flexion, extension, abduction and adduction that traces a cone.
- The terms palmar and plantar refer to the front of the hand and the sole of the foot respectively.
- A structure described as ipsilateral is on the same side, while contralateral is on the opposite side.
Planes and their divisions
- **Median (mid-sagittal) plane:** Vertical plane dividing the body into equal right and left halves.
- **Sagittal plane:** Any vertical plane parallel to the median plane, giving unequal right and left parts.
- **Coronal (frontal) plane:** Vertical plane at right angles to the median plane, dividing the body into front and back.
- **Transverse (horizontal) plane:** Plane at right angles to the long axis, dividing the body into upper and lower parts.
NMC competencies in this chapter
- **AN1.1:** Anatomical position, planes, terms of relation and comparison
- **AN1.2:** Terms of movement and the general build of the body
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the anatomical position?
The body stands erect with eyes looking forward, arms by the sides, palms facing forward and feet together. All anatomical descriptions of position and relation assume this standard posture.
How is a sagittal plane different from the median plane?
The median plane is the single vertical plane that splits the body into equal right and left halves. A sagittal plane is any vertical plane parallel to it, so it usually gives unequal parts.
What is the difference between supination and pronation?
Supination turns the forearm so the palm faces forward or upward, and pronation turns it so the palm faces backward or downward. In the anatomical position the forearm is supinated.
Why learn anatomical terms before regions?
These terms are the fixed vocabulary used to describe every structure and movement later in the course, so mastering them early makes limb, thorax and abdomen dissection far easier to follow.
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