Regional anatomy

Regional anatomy refers to the in-depth study of the human body based on distinct regions or divisions. This method of study emphasizes the relationship between various structures such as muscles, bones, nerves, and arteries. This approach stands in contrast to systemic anatomy, which categorizes the body based on systems like the gastrointestinal tract, circulation, and nervous system.

Anterior view of human female and male, with labels

Importance of Regional Anatomy

Studying the human body by regions allows medical professionals, researchers, and students to focus on specific parts of the body, understanding their intricacies and how they interrelate with adjacent structures. For instance, a hand surgeon might study the regional anatomy of the hand in detail, which would be essential for surgical procedures, treatment, and rehabilitation.

Anatomical Planes and Directions

Posterior view_of human female

Posterior view_of human_male

Understanding the body's planes and directions is crucial when describing locations and relationships of body parts. Here are some key anatomical terms:

• Superior or cranial: Refers to the direction towards the head end of the body. For instance, the hand is considered part of the superior extremity.
• Inferior or caudal: The direction away from the head, or downwards. The foot, for example, is part of the inferior extremity.
• Anterior or ventral: Pertains to the front side of the body. A practical example is the kneecap's location on the anterior side of the leg.
• Posterior or dorsal: Refers to the back side of the body, like the shoulder blades, which are on the posterior side.
• Medial: Direction towards the body's midline. To illustrate, the middle toe is on the medial side of the foot.
• Lateral: Direction away from the body's midline. For example, the little toe is on the foot's lateral side.
• Proximal: Indicates closeness or nearest to the body's trunk or the point of origin of a part. The proximal end of the femur, for instance, joins with the pelvic bone.
• Distal: Refers to a part's position being away from or the farthest from the trunk or its origin point. The hand's position at the forearm's distal end is a case in point.

The body can also be divided using planes:

• Coronal Plane (Frontal Plane): A vertical plane from side to side, separating the body into anterior and posterior sections.
• Sagittal Plane (Lateral Plane): A vertical plane from front to back, splitting the body into left and right sides.
• Axial Plane (Transverse Plane): A horizontal plane that divides the body into upper and lower sections.
• Median plane: A sagittal plane right through the body's midline, creating equal right and left halves.

Body Cavities

Body cavities house the internal organs, often referred to as viscera. The two primary body cavities are the ventral and dorsal cavities:

Scheme body cavities

Ventral Cavity

The ventral cavity, which is the larger of the two, consists of:

• Thoracic cavity: This cavity encompasses the heart, lungs, trachea, esophagus, major blood vessels, and nerves. It is laterally bound by the ribs and caudally by the diaphragm.
• Abdominal and pelvic cavity: This cavity can be split into the abdominal and pelvic sections. The abdominal cavity hosts most of the gastrointestinal tract, kidneys, and adrenal glands, whereas the pelvic cavity holds the urogenital system and rectum.

Dorsal Cavity

Being the smaller of the two primary cavities, the dorsal cavity consists of:

• Cranial cavity: This section shelters the brain.
• Vertebral canal: It houses the spinal cord.

Anatomy of the Human Body

The human body, while appearing as a singular structure, is a complex system composed of billions of smaller structures, namely cells, tissues, organs, and systems. Each of these components serves its unique function:

• Organ: Comprises different kinds of tissues organized to execute a specific function.
• System: A collection of organs designed to carry out complex functions for the body.

The ten primary systems that form the human body are the skeletal, muscular, nervous, endocrine, cardiovascular, lymphatic, respiratory, digestive, urinary, and reproductive systems. These systems work harmoniously, maintaining or restoring homeostasis, ensuring the body's overall well-being.

Human life relies on specific physical environmental factors, including water, oxygen, nutrients, heat, and pressure, which are vital for processes like organization, metabolism, responsiveness, movement, reproduction, growth, differentiation, respiration, digestion, and excretion.

Gray's Anatomy

• Gray's Anatomy Contents
• Gray's Anatomy Subject Index
• About Classic Gray's Anatomy
• Note to Contributors of Gray's Anatomy
• Glossary of anatomy terms

Anatomy atlases (external)

[1] - Anatomy Atlases

Regional anatomy Resources
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Regional anatomy Resources
Need Help Finding a Doctor? Need help finding a doctor or specialist anywhere in the world? Explore our world directory. WikiMD's DocFinder can assist you in locating millions of physicians.	Medical Knowledge Access the latest research - Most recent articles Ongoing trials.

Translate to: East Asian 中文, 日本, 한국어, South Asian हिन्दी, Urdu, বাংলা, తెలుగు, தமிழ், ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian Indonesian, Vietnamese, Thai, မြန်မာဘာသာ, European español, Deutsch, français, русский, português do Brasil, Italian, polski