2.1: Positional & Directional Terms
In this module, we will cover some basic positional and directional terms. You will also
explore a general overview of all of the body systems before you explore them
individually in greater detail. Before we dive into these new terms, you should have an
understanding of anatomical position.
Anatomical Position
Prone & Supine
The prone position is flat on the stomach, face down; and the supine position is flat on
the back, face up. The following table is a list of directional words with their meanings.
Please note that they are paired in opposites (i.e. anterior means “front,” and it is paired
with posterior meaning “back”).
Table 2.1: Directional Root Words and Their Meanings
Opposite
Root
Meaning Root Meaning
Word
Word
Anter (o) Front Poster (o) Back
Cephal Toward the tail or
Toward the head Caud (o)
(o) downward
Proxim Near or toward the point
Dist (o) Away from the point of origin
(o) of origin
To the side or away from the Towards the middle or
Later (o) Medi (o)
midline midline
Super (o) Above Infer (o) Below
Ventr (o) Toward the front Dors (o) Toward the back
Remember from Module 1 that root words can be combined to form new words.
Directional roots are combined frequently to describe certain regions of the body.
Example: An 88-year-old female comes into the emergency room after sustaining a fall
in her home. She is complaining of groin pain that radiates from the anteromedial thigh
to the distal femur. Because you know your directional terminology, you know that she
is experiencing pain that radiates from the front/inner thigh down to the knee.
,In addition to these directional terms, you should be familiar with anatomical planes.
There are four anatomical planes described below. These planes are most important in
diagnostic imaging and may also be referred to as “views.”
Table 2.2: Anatomical Planes
Plane Description
Divides the body into anterior and posterior (or front and
Frontal (or coronal) plane
back) parts
Divides the body into equal right and left hemispheres
Midsagittal plane
(or halves) at the midline
Divides the body into right and left sides, but does not
Sagittal plane
have to occur at the midline
Transverse plane (or Divides the body into superior and inferior (or upper and
“cross-section”) lower) halves
Now that you have a good grasp on directional terms, we will take a brief tour through
each body system. You should have a general familiarity with each system and its major
function(s) and main organs/parts.
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Question 1
Not yet graded / 0 pts
Define the following term:
Anatomical Position
,Your Answer:
Anatomical position is the body facing forward with feet pointed forward, arms out to the
side, and palms facing forward. It is from this position that you make sense of directional
terms. Two other positional terms that you will see commonly in medical documentation
are prone and supine.
Body facing forward, arms at side, feet and palms pointed forward
Question 2
Not yet graded / 0 pts
Define the following term:
Supine
Your Answer:
on your back face up
, flat on back with face upward
Question 3
Not yet graded / 0 pts
Define the following term:
Prone
Your Answer:
on your stomach face down
flat on stomach with face downward
Question 4
pts
In this module, we will cover some basic positional and directional terms. You will also
explore a general overview of all of the body systems before you explore them
individually in greater detail. Before we dive into these new terms, you should have an
understanding of anatomical position.
Anatomical Position
Prone & Supine
The prone position is flat on the stomach, face down; and the supine position is flat on
the back, face up. The following table is a list of directional words with their meanings.
Please note that they are paired in opposites (i.e. anterior means “front,” and it is paired
with posterior meaning “back”).
Table 2.1: Directional Root Words and Their Meanings
Opposite
Root
Meaning Root Meaning
Word
Word
Anter (o) Front Poster (o) Back
Cephal Toward the tail or
Toward the head Caud (o)
(o) downward
Proxim Near or toward the point
Dist (o) Away from the point of origin
(o) of origin
To the side or away from the Towards the middle or
Later (o) Medi (o)
midline midline
Super (o) Above Infer (o) Below
Ventr (o) Toward the front Dors (o) Toward the back
Remember from Module 1 that root words can be combined to form new words.
Directional roots are combined frequently to describe certain regions of the body.
Example: An 88-year-old female comes into the emergency room after sustaining a fall
in her home. She is complaining of groin pain that radiates from the anteromedial thigh
to the distal femur. Because you know your directional terminology, you know that she
is experiencing pain that radiates from the front/inner thigh down to the knee.
,In addition to these directional terms, you should be familiar with anatomical planes.
There are four anatomical planes described below. These planes are most important in
diagnostic imaging and may also be referred to as “views.”
Table 2.2: Anatomical Planes
Plane Description
Divides the body into anterior and posterior (or front and
Frontal (or coronal) plane
back) parts
Divides the body into equal right and left hemispheres
Midsagittal plane
(or halves) at the midline
Divides the body into right and left sides, but does not
Sagittal plane
have to occur at the midline
Transverse plane (or Divides the body into superior and inferior (or upper and
“cross-section”) lower) halves
Now that you have a good grasp on directional terms, we will take a brief tour through
each body system. You should have a general familiarity with each system and its major
function(s) and main organs/parts.
Skip To Content
Question 1
Not yet graded / 0 pts
Define the following term:
Anatomical Position
,Your Answer:
Anatomical position is the body facing forward with feet pointed forward, arms out to the
side, and palms facing forward. It is from this position that you make sense of directional
terms. Two other positional terms that you will see commonly in medical documentation
are prone and supine.
Body facing forward, arms at side, feet and palms pointed forward
Question 2
Not yet graded / 0 pts
Define the following term:
Supine
Your Answer:
on your back face up
, flat on back with face upward
Question 3
Not yet graded / 0 pts
Define the following term:
Prone
Your Answer:
on your stomach face down
flat on stomach with face downward
Question 4
pts
