Basic anatomy vocabulary

Directional terms, body regions and organs as you will really hear them on the ward and in reports – the basis for understanding handovers and doctors' letters.

Content created with AI assistance from public clinical sources (RKI, AWMF) – may contain mistakes; if in doubt, your textbook is right

Description and notes translated from the German original, which is authoritative. Terms and example sentences are in German – the language of the exam.

proximal

„Der Zugang liegt proximal, also näher zur Körpermitte hin am Oberarm.“

English: proximal (toward the trunk / point of origin)

Memory aid: proximal = closer to the trunk, distal = further away. Always thought of from the trunk of the body.

distal

„Die Finger sind distal, am weitesten vom Rumpf entfernt.“

English: distal (away from the trunk)

Opposite of proximal. “Distale Fraktur des Unterarms” (distal fracture of the forearm) = fracture close to the wrist.

ventral

„Die Wunde befindet sich ventral, auf der Bauchseite.“

English: ventral (front / belly side)

ventral = front / belly side. Synonym in reports: anterior.

dorsal

„Der Patient klagt über Schmerzen dorsal, also am Rücken.“

English: dorsal (back side)

dorsal = back / back side. Opposite of ventral. Synonym: posterior.

kranial

„Der Tubus muss etwas weiter kranial, also kopfwärts, korrigiert werden.“

English: cranial (toward the head)

kranial = towards the head. Memory aid: cranium = skull.

kaudal

„Der Dekubitus reicht von sakral bis kaudal zum Steißbein.“

English: caudal (toward the feet / tail)

kaudal = towards the feet / towards the tailbone. Opposite of kranial.

lateral

„Die Injektion erfolgt lateral am Oberschenkel, seitlich außen.“

English: lateral (toward the side)

lateral = to the side (away from the midline). Important for i.m. injections (M. vastus lateralis).

medial

„Der Schmerz sitzt medial am Knie, zur Körpermitte hin.“

English: medial (toward the midline)

medial = towards the midline. Opposite of lateral.