Directional Terms,
Planes & Oral Terms
Directional Terms and Surfaces
A. dorsal vs. ventral
B. cranial vs. Caudal
C. anterior vs. posterior
D. rostral vs. caudal
E. medial vs. lateral
F. superior vs. inferior
G. proximal vs. distal
H. superficial vs. deep
I. palmar vs. plantar …..palmar = caudal surface of
front paw or foot
Plantar = caudal
surface of rear paw or foot
J. flexion vs. extension
Planes and Surfaces….imaginary lines to divide the body into
sections
- Midsaggital or Median plane….…..divides the body into
equal right and left halves
- Sagittal plane………divides the body into unequal right and
left halves
- Dorsal plane……….divides the body into dorsal (top or back)
and ventral (belly)
- Transverse plane…..divides the body into cranial and
caudal parts
Oral Terms
- Arcade……arrangement of teeth
- Lingual surface……tongue side
- Buccal surface…….cheek side
- Occlusal surface…..teeth surfaces that meet when chewing
- Labial ……facing the lips
- Contact surface…….touch other teeth
- Cavity……hole or hollow space
Positional Terms
- recumbent = lying down
- dorsal recumbency = lying on back
- ventral recumbency = lying on abdomen
- sternal recumbency = lying on sternum (like ventral)
- right lateral recumbency = lying on right side
- left lateral recumbency = lying on left side
- prone = ventral or sternal recumbency
- supine = dorsal recumbency
Movement Terms
- adduction = moving toward the midline
- abduction = moving away from the midline
- flexion = decrease the angle of a joint
- extension = increase the angle of a joint
- hyperflexion = extreme decrease in the angle of a joint
- hyperextension = extreme increase in the angle of a joint
- pronation = rotating a limb so palmar surface is downward
- supination = rotating a limb so palmar surface is upward
Misc Terms
- genetic = refers to hereditary
- congenital = refers to present at birth
- anomaly = not normal
- tissue = group of cells with similar function and
structure
- four types of tissue
a. epithelial
b. connective
c. nervous
d. muscle
( skeletal, smooth or cardiac )
- histology = study of tissues
- plasia = suffix to describe formation of tissue
- aplasia = lack of development of tissue
- dysplasia = defective growth in tissue or cells
- hyperplasia = abnormal increase in tissue or cells
- hypoplasia = incomplete development in tissue or cells
- neoplasia = abnormal new growth of tissue or cells
- tumor = distinct mass of tissue
a. benign
= not recurring
b. malignant
= growing, spreading and life threatening
c. oma
= suffix referring to a tumor
- trophy = suffix means to increase size of tissue or cells
- atrophy = decrease size of tissue or cells
- dystrophy = defective growth in tissue or cells
- hypertrophy = increase greatly the size of tissue or
cells
- gland = group of specialized cells that secrete material
used elsewhere in the body
- exocrine glands = secretion enters ducts that go to
other organs or outside
a. ex: sweat glands; part of
pancreas that secretes digestive enzymes
2. endocrine glands = secretion goes
directly into bloodstream
a. ex: thyroid gland; part of
pancreas that secretes insulin
- organ = part of the body that performs a special function
or functions
- unilateral = refers to one side
- bilateral = refers to both sides
- bicornuate uterus = uterus with 2 horns
Organ Terms
- Skeletal
- osteo, arthro, chondro
- Muscular
- myo ,tendino, fascio
- Cardiovascular
- cardio, arterio, vena, hemato
- Lymphatic & Immune system
- lympho, tonsillo, spleno
- Respiratory system
- rhino, naso, pharyngo, tracheo, laryngo, pneumo
- Digestive system
- mouth = stoma
- esophagio, gastro, entero, colon, hepato, pancreato
- Urinary system
- renal, nephro, uretero, urethral, cysto
- Nervous system
- neuro, encephalo, myelo
- Eyes
- optho, oculo, opto
- Ears
- oto, aural, audito
- Integument
- derm, cutaneous
- Endocrine system
- adrenal = adreno
- gonad = gonado
- thyroid = thyro
M, Reproductive system
1. testes = orchio, orchid, testiculo
2. ovary = ovario,
oophoro
3. uterus = hyster,
metri, utero