The Basics and the Body

Descriptive Terms

• Anatomy—the study of the structures of the body
• Physiology—the study of the functions of body structures
• Pathophysiology—the study of disease

OZMedia/Shutterstock.com

Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. May not be posted to a publicly accessible website.

Anatomical Position

• Used when referencing location, position, and direction of the body
• Standing upright, head and feet facing forward, arms at sides, palms facing forward

​

© Body Scientific International

Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. May not be posted to a publicly accessible website.

Major Views of the Human Body

© Body Scientific International

Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. May not be posted to a publicly accessible website.

Anatomical Planes

© Body Scientific International

Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. May not be posted to a publicly accessible website.

Remember This?

• Which plane divides the body into equal left and right halves?

midsagittal plane

• Which plane divides the body into upper and lower sections?

transverse plane

Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. May not be posted to a publicly accessible website.

Terms for Anatomical Location, Position, and Direction

• Anterior—head end
• Ventral—belly side
• Posterior—tail end or rear
• Dorsal—back of the body
• Medial—near the midline
• Lateral—near the side of the body

(Continued)

Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. May not be posted to a publicly accessible website.

Terms for Anatomical Location, Position, and Direction

• Proximal—near the point of origin
• Distal—away from the point of origin
• Superior—closer to the top of the head
• Inferior—closer to the soles of the feet
• Cephalic—near the head
• Caudal—near the tail or inferior end

​

Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. May not be posted to a publicly accessible website.

Terms of Position

• Erect
• Fowler’s position
• Knee-chest
• Lateral
• Prone
• Sims’ position
• Supine

© Body Scientific International

Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. May not be posted to a publicly accessible website.

Remember This?

• What word means “near the midline or center of the body”?

medial

• What is the name of the body position used for CT and MRI scans?

supine position

Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. May not be posted to a publicly accessible website.

Body Cavities

© Body Scientific International

Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. May not be posted to a publicly accessible website.

Abdominal Quadrants

© Body Scientific International

Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. May not be posted to a publicly accessible website.

Abdominal Regions

© Body Scientific International

Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. May not be posted to a publicly accessible website.

Remember This?

• Which body cavity protects the heart and lungs?

thoracic cavity

• What is the name of the abdominal region that contains the belly button?

umbilical region

Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. May not be posted to a publicly accessible website.

Organization of the Body

© Body Scientific International

Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. May not be posted to a publicly accessible website.

Cells

• Specialized cells include muscle cells, epithelial cells, fat cells, and nerve cells
• Cell division occurs through mitosis (most cells) or meiosis (sex cells)

Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. May not be posted to a publicly accessible website.

Tissues

• Epithelial tissue—forms skin, organ linings, and some glands
• Connective tissue—supports and connects organs and body tissues
• Muscle tissue—contracts to produce bodily movement
• Nervous tissue—receives and conducts electrochemical impulses

Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. May not be posted to a publicly accessible website.

Organs

• Composed of several kinds of tissue that work together to perform a specific function
• For example, the heart is composed of muscle, connective, nervous, and epithelial tissue

Liya Graphics/Shutterstock.com

Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. May not be posted to a publicly accessible website.

Body Systems

• Integumentary
• Skeletal
• Muscular
• Nervous
• Endocrine
• Respiratory

• Cardiovascular
• Lymphatic
• Digestive
• Urinary
• Reproductive (male and female)

Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. May not be posted to a publicly accessible website.

Remember This?

• Which body system is shown here?

lymphatic system

© Body Scientific International

Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. May not be posted to a publicly accessible website.

Descriptive Terms for Diseases and Conditions

• Acute
• Autoimmune
• Benign
• Chronic
• Congenital
• Convalescence
• Debilitating

• Endemic
• Endogenous
• Epidemic
• Exogenous
• Genetic
• Hypersensitivity
• Iatrogenic

(Continued)

Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. May not be posted to a publicly accessible website.

Descriptive Terms for Diseases and Conditions

• Idiopathic
• Immunological
• Infectious
• Inflammatory
• Ischemic
• Malignant
• Metabolic

• Neoplastic
• Nosocomial
• Nutritional
• Opportunistic
• Syndrome
• Terminal

​

Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. May not be posted to a publicly accessible website.

Your Turn

Define the following descriptive medical terms:

• chronic

long duration and slow progression

• debilitating

having a weakening or fatiguing effect

• ischemic

caused by temporary deficiency in blood flow

• terminal

treatments but no cure; fatal

Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. May not be posted to a publicly accessible website.

Assessment Terms

• Observation
• Manifestation
• Inspection
• Auscultation
• Palpation
• Percussion
• Olfaction
• Diagnostic testing

​

NPFire/Shutterstock.com

Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. May not be posted to a publicly accessible website.

Remember This?

• What is the difference between signs and symptoms?

Signs are objective observations made by healthcare professionals; symptoms refer to a patient’s awareness of abnormalities or discomfort; signs can be observed and measured; symptoms can be neither observed nor measured

Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. May not be posted to a publicly accessible website.

Common Medical Abbreviations

Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. May not be posted to a publicly accessible website.

Your Turn

Identify the meanings of the following medical abbreviations:

• AAF

African-American female

• CBC

complete blood (cell) count

• NKDA

no known drug allergies

• NPO

nothing by mouth

Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. May not be posted to a publicly accessible website.

Military Time

© Body Scientific International

Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. May not be posted to a publicly accessible website.

Your Turn

Convert the following times to military or conventional time:

• 1:45 a.m.

0145

• 2:15 p.m.

1415

• 0927

9:27 a.m.

• 1605

4:05 p.m.

Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. May not be posted to a publicly accessible website.