Table 1: Commonly Used Anatomic Direction Terms

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Table 1: Commonly Used Anatomic Direction Terms

TermMeaning
Longitudinal Along the length of lengthwise
Sagittal A longitudinal, vertical plane that divides into right and left sides.
Mid-sagittalA plane that divides the body equally into right and left halves.
CoronalA plane that divides the body into dorsal (back/posterior) and ventral (front/anterior) parts.
Caudal (Inferior)Refers to the tail, moving below the transverse plane away from the head towards the feet beneath.
SuperiorThe top half, toward the head.
DistalAway from the center.
Cross-sectionA plane is formed by cutting through an object at right angles to an axis, which provides a representative sample of most parts contained within the whole.
ProximalNearest to a point of reference, such as a point of origin.
Horizontal (transverse)A plane that is parallel to the ground.

Orange cut in a longitudinal section.
Orange cut in cross-section.