BODY POSITIONS

o    Anatomic position

standing erect, facing forward, arms at sides, palms forward, legs parallel, and toes pointed forward 

o    Decubitus position

lying down, specifically according to the part of the body resting on a flat surface, as in left or right lateral decubitus, or dorsal or ventral decubitus.

o    Dorsal recumbent position

on back, with legs bent and separated, feet flat

o    Fowler position

on back, head of bed raised about 18 inches and knees elevated

o    Knee-chest position

on knees, head and upper chest on table, arms crossed above head

o    Left lateral recumbent position

on left side, right leg drawn up

o    Lithotomy position

on back, legs flexed on abdomen, thighs apart

o    Prone

lying face down

o    Sims positon

on left side, right leg drawn up high and forward, left arm along back, and chest forward resting on bed

o    Supine

lying face up

o      Trendelenburg position

on back with head lowered by tilting bed back at 45 degree angle

ANATOMICAL DIRECTIONS

o      anterior (ventral)

toward the front (belly) of the body

o      posterior (dorsal)

toward the back of the body

o      medial

toward the midline of the body

o      lateral

toward the side of the body

o      proximal

nearer to the point of attachment or to a given reference point

o      distal

farther from the point of attachment or from a given reference point

o      superior

above

o      inferior

below

o      cranial (cephalic)

toward the head

o      caudal

toward the lower end of the spine

o      superficial (external)

close to surface of the body

o      deep (internal)

close to the center of the body

o      frontal plane

also called a coronal plane, is made at right angles to the midline and divides the body into anterior and posterior parts

o      sagittal plane

passes from front to back and divides the body into right and left portions, if the plane passes throught the midline, it is a mid-sagittal or medial plane

o      transverse plane

passes horizontally dividing the body into superior and inferior parts

MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY

Click here for common used terminology

Health care professionals and students are not the only one's who greatly benefit from knowing medical terminology. When any individual visits doctor's office or have the need to go to the hospital, he/she always hears some form of medical terminology. Whether they are referring to a test, diagnosis, part of your body or the need to see a specialist. 

         For the health care professional, it's imperative to know the medical terminology. Medical terminology can contain a prefix, root word, a combining vowel and a suffix to create medical terms. These terms can contain multiple root words, combining vowels etc. It is must to be very precise when dictating a term; if someone misuses a letter or word, he/she will be changing the term, which could lead to unnecessary tests, appointments and treatment or an incorrect diagnosis of a patient.

Prefix: A prefix is placed at the beginning of a word to modify or change its meaning. Pre means "before." Prefixes may also indicate a location, number, or time. 

Root: central part of a word.      

Suffix:  The ending part of a word that modifies the meaning of the word.

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Singular versus plural rules:

Rule one:

Terms that end in "a", for plural add an "e". Example: vertebra (singular), vertebrae (plural).

Rule Two:

Terms that end in "is", for plural change it to "es". Example: diagnosis (singular), diagnoses (plural)

Rule Three:

Terms that end in "ex" or "ix" for plural replace with "ices". Example: cervix (singular), cervices (plural)

Rule Four:

Terms that end in "on" for plural replace it with "a". Example: criterion (singular), criteria (plural)

Rule Five:

Terms that end in "um" for plural replace it with "a". Example: bacterium (singular), bacteria (plural)

Rule Six:

Terms that end in "us" for plural replace it with "i". Example: bronchus (singular), bronchi (plural)

Rule Seven:

Terms that end in "itis" for plural replace it with "itides". Example: arthritis (singular), arthritides (plural)

Rule Eight:

Terms that end in "nx" for plural replace it with "nges". Example: phalanx (singular), phalanges (plural)

Rule Nine:

Terms that end in "y" for plural replace it with "ies". Example: therapy (singular), therapies (plural)

Rule Ten:

Terms that end in "x" for plural replace it with "ces". Example: thorax (singular), thoraces (plural)

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