Ch 7.2 Body Planes, Directions and Cavities Key Terms
Abdominal Cavity
The lower portion of the ventral cavity that is divided into an upper part and a lower part,
Nasal Cavity
- one of the three small cavities; the space for the nose structures
Orbital Cavity
- one of the three small cavities; the space for the eyes
Pelvic cavity
- the lower abdominal cavity, which contains the urinary bladder, reproductive organs, and the last part of the large intestine
Body Cavities
- Spaces within the body that contain vital organs. The two main types are dorsal and ventral
Posterior
: refers to body parts on the back of the body. Also known as dorsal
Unilateral
- used to refer to pathologic conditions that only affect one side of the body
Inferior
A directional term for body parts below other parts
Superior
A directional term for body parts above other parts
Spinal Cavity
The lower section of the dorsal cavity, which contains the spinal cord
Ventral
refers to body parts in front of the frontal plane or on the front of the body. Also known as anterior
Superficial
a directional term used to indicate that structures are located near the body surface
Cranial Cavity
the upper section of the dorsal cavity, which contains the brain
Anterior
refers to the body parts in front of the frontal plane, or on the front of the body. Also known as ventral.
Proximal
a term used to describe the location of the extremities; refers to body parts close to the point of reference
Distal
a term used to describe the location of the extremities; refers to body parts distant from the point of reference
Deep
a directional term used to indicate the structures are located away from the body surface
Buccal Cavity
One of the three small cavities; also known as the mouth, which contains the teeth and tongue
Caudal
- a directional term meaning body parts located near the sacral region of the spinal column
Medial
a directional term for body parts close to the midline or sagittal plane
Thoracic Cavity
- the upper ventral cavity located in the chest, which contains the esophagus, trachea, bronchi, lungs, heart, and large blood vessels,
Ventral Cavities
the larger body cavities located on the front of the body, separated by the diaphragm into the thoracic and abdominopelvic cavities
Midsagittal Plane
A sagittal plane that runs down the midline of the body and divides the body into equal left and right halves
Abnormal Regions
Sections or divisions of the abdominal cavity, typically divided into four quadrants or nine more precise regions
Transverse plane
a horizontal plane that divides the body into a top half and a bottom half