Medical Language Related to the Body as a Whole
Learning Objectives
- Connect medical language learning to the context of anatomy and physiology
- Introduce the basic architecture and levels of organization of the human body
- Evaluate the anatomical position, regional terms, directional terms, body planes, and body quadrants for anatomical positioning
- Describe body cavities and the functions of associated membranes
Body Planes
Use the anatomic reference system to identify the body planes below:
Body Planes (Text Version)
- Sagittal Plane
- Frontal (coronal) Plane
- Transverse Plane
Body Planes Diagram (Text Version)
This illustration activity shows the human body standing upright in the anatomical position. Three anatomical planes are illustrated with transparent lines identifying the location of the three planes: the _______[Blank 1] which divides the left and right side of the body, the _______[Blank 2] dividing front and back portions of the body, and the _______[Blank 3] dividing top and bottom portion of the body.
Check your answers: [1]
Activity source: Medical language with the Context of Anatomy and Physiology Body by Tiffany Hunt, illustration from Anatomy and Physiology (OpenStax) licensed under CC BY 4.0./ Text version added.
Body Cavities
Use the anatomic reference system to identify the body cavities:
Body Cavities (Text Version)
- Abdominopelvic
- Abdominal
- Thoracic
- Pelvic
- Cranial
- Ventral
- Vertebral
- Diaphragm
- Dorsal
- Cranial
- Vertebral
Body Cavities Diagram (Text Version)
This diagram activity shows two views of the human head and torso. The right image shows the lateral view, and the left image shows an anterior view of the human head and torso. The image is highlighting the several cavities or hollowed out spaces where organs and structures are positioned. The lateral view show four cavities: the head cavity known as the _______[Blank 1], the upper back cavity known as the _______[Blank 2], the lower back area known as the _______[Blank 3], and the chest cavity known as the ______[Blank 4] cavity. Adjoining lines for both views identify the ________[Blank 5] which is a muscular partition dividing the lungs from the location below it known as the _________[Blank 6] and followed by the lower _______[Blank 7]. The anterior view identifies the _______[Blank 8], _____[Blank 9], ________[Blank 10],________[Blank 11] cavities, and sections.
Check your answers: [2]
Activity source: Medical language with the Context of Anatomy and Physiology Dorsal by Tiffany Hunt, illustration from Anatomy and Physiology (OpenStax) licensed under CC BY 4.0./Text version added.
Directional Terms
Practice pronouncing and defining the following directional terms:
Medical Language with the Context of Anatomy and Physiology Directional Terms (Text version)
- Cranial Cavity
- KRĀ-nē-ăl kah-vi-tē
- The space formed inside the skull that the brain occupies.
- Homeostasis
- HŌ-mē-ō-STĀ-sĭs
- Biological process that results in stable equilibrium
-