Standard terms for unambiguous description of relative placement of body parts
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Standard anatomical terms of location are used to unambiguously describe the anatomy of animals, including humans. The terms, typically derived from Latin or Greek roots, describe something in its standard anatomical position. This position provides a definition of what is at the front ("anterior"), behind ("posterior") and so on. As part of defining and describing terms, the body is described through the use of anatomical planes and anatomical axes.
The meaning of terms that are used can change depending on whether an organism is bipedal or quadrupedal. Additionally, for some animals such as invertebrates, some terms may not have any meaning at all; for example, an animal that is radially symmetrical will have no anterior surface, but can still have a description that a part is close to the middle ("proximal") or further from the middle ("distal").
International organisations have determined vocabularies that are often used as standards for subdisciplines of anatomy. For example, Terminologia Anatomica for humans and Nomina Anatomica Veterinaria for animals. These allow parties that use anatomical terms, such as anatomists, veterinarians, and medical doctors, to have a standard set of terms to communicate clearly the position of a structure.
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Standard anatomicaltermsoflocation are used to unambiguously describe the anatomy of animals, including humans. The terms, typically derived from Latin...
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example, anatomicaltermsoflocation (such as "anterior and posterior", "dorsal and ventral", or "proximal and distal") or geometric termsoflocation (such...
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Many anatomicalterms descriptive of bone are defined in anatomical terminology, and are often derived from Greek and Latin. Bone in the human body is...
pericardial regions; as well as the head, neck and extremities. Using anatomicaltermsoflocation, the dorsal side is down, and the ventral side is up, when supine...
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oral cavity, much as anatomicaltermsoflocation provide orientation throughout the body. Anterior The direction toward the front of the head or the lips...
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their direction of travel Longitudinal/longitudinally are also anatomicaltermsoflocation. Latitudinal Longitude Longitudinal axis (disambiguation) Transversality...
lit in the same way. Anatomicaltermsoflocation, another example oftermsof directionality that do not depend on the locationof the observer for things...
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