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The terms proximal (from Latin proximus 'nearest') and distal (from Latin distare 'to stand away from') are used to describe parts of a feature that are close to or distant from the main mass of the body, respectively. [29] Thus the upper arm in humans is proximal and the hand is distal.
Bones are commonly described with the terms head, neck, shaft, body and base. The head of a bone usually refers to the distal end of the bone. The shaft refers to the elongated sections of long bone, and the neck the segment between the head and shaft (or body).
dilation, distal, dilute, different, dissection: dia-through, during, across Greek διά (diá), through, during, across dialysis: digit-of or pertaining to the finger [rare as a root] Latin digitus, finger, toe digit: diplo-twofold Greek διπλόος (diplóos) diploid, diplosis -dipsia (condition of) thirst Greek δίψα (dípsa)
Standard terms used throughout anatomy include anterior / posterior for the front and back of a structure, superior / inferior for above and below, medial / lateral for structures close to and away from the midline respectively, and proximal / distal for structures close to and far away from a set point.
Most of the principal terms can be combined using their corresponding combining forms (such as mesio-for mesial and disto-for distal). They provide names for directions (vectors) and axes; for example, the coronoapical axis is the long axis of a tooth. Such combining yields terms such as those in the following list.
In medical disciplines, all references to a location on or in the body are made based upon the standard anatomical position. A straight position is assumed when describing a proximo-distal axis (towards or away from a point of attachment). This helps avoid confusion in terminology when referring to the same organism in different postures.
Older set of terminology shown in Parts of the Human Body: Posterior and Anterior View from the 1933 edition of Sir Henry Morris' Human Anatomy. Many of these terms are medical latin terms that have fallen into disuse. Front: Frons - forehead; Facies - face; Pectus - breast; Latus - flank; Coxa - hip; Genu - knee; Pes - foot; Back: Vertex ...
The distal part of the palmar ligament, called the palmar plate, is 2 to 3 millimetres (0.079 to 0.118 in) thick and has a fibrocartilaginous structure. The presence of chondroitin and keratan sulfate in the dorsal and palmar plates is important in resisting compression forces against the condyles of the proximal phalanx.