Medical definitions: Anterior,Inferior,etc.

[A's Mommy]

Hi everyone:

Just as a point of reference, here is what all this mumbo jumbo means: (bolded terms are what we are frequently finding in our medical reports, MRI reports, op reports, etc.)

Anterior: The front, as opposed to the posterior.
Anteroposterior: From front to back, as opposed to posteroanterior.
Caudad: Toward the feet (or tail in embryology), as opposed to cranial.
Caudal: Pertaining to, situated in, or toward the tail or the hind part. Or below another structure.
Cranial: Toward the head, as opposed to caudad.
Deep: Away from the exterior surface or further into the body, as opposed to superficial.
Distal: Further from the beginning, as opposed to proximal.
Dorsal: The back, as opposed to ventral.
Horizontal: Parallel to the floor, a plane passing through the standing body parallel to the floor.
Inferior: Below, as opposed to superior.
Inferolateral: Below and to one side. Both inferior and lateral.
Lateral: Toward the left or right side of the body, as opposed to medial.
Medial: In the middle or inside, as opposed to lateral.
Posterior: The back or behind, as opposed to the anterior.
Posteroanterior: From back to front, as opposed to anteroposterior.
Pronation: Rotation of the forearm and hand so that the palm is down (and the corresponding movement of the foot and leg with the sole down), as opposed to supination.
Prone: With the front or ventral surface downward (lying face down), as opposed to supine.
Proximal: Toward the beginning, as opposed to distal.
Sagittal: A vertical plane passing through the standing body from front to back. The mid-sagittal, or median plane, splits the body into left and right halves.
Superficial: On the surface or shallow, as opposed to deep.
Superior: Above, as opposed to inferior.
Supination: Rotation of the forearm and hand so that the palm is upward (and the corresponding movement of the foot and leg), as opposed to pronation.
Supine: With the back or dorsal surface downward (lying face up), as opposed to prone.
Transverse: A horizontal plane passing through the standing body parallel to the ground.
Ventral: Pertaining to the abdomen, as opposed to dorsal.
Vertical: Upright, as opposed to horizontal.

[Karyn]

Thanks very much for posting this.
Hopefully, there are others like me who aren't savvy with the medical terminology and will find this as useful and helpful as I do!
Love,
Karyn

[Robyn]

Thanks a bunch. I am not a "medical trained" person. Have learned some of the more regularly used ones, like "prone" from just being in so much PT over the years.

I am new to learning about PN or PNE. Since the many doctors and their tests could not find anything wrong, I was beginning to think it was phatom pain or I had just gone crazy from 7.5 years of pain medication. Then I stumbled onto this website about a month ago. I am reading and rereading as much as I can, and was thinking about starting a list just like you have provided. Thank you so very much. I can't afford to waste any more time since my nerve damage is already 7.5 years old. I had a bad spill off a runaway horse and flew off and landed on my left buttock.

I see your in PA. I lived in that area for the most of my life. A little town called Delta, PA. It was about 50 miles north of Baltimore and 50 miles south of Harrisburg or Reading, PA. We moved to Virginia about 12 years ago. It's quite beatiful here and the people are awesome. Only problem is that the major medical centers are 2-4 hours away. When we lived in Delta, I could be at John Hopkins in about an 1.5 hrs.

Once again, thank you.
Robyn