Medical Dictionary - Directional

Term	Definition
A&D	ascending & descending
A-P	anterior-posterior
AAL	anterior axillary line
ab-	away from
ad-	toward, increase
AE	above elbow
AK	above the knee
ambi-	both, both sides, around
ana-	up, apart, again
ant.	anterior
ante-	forward, before
anter/o	front
anterior	front
apo-	separate, away from
BE	below elbow
bilat	bilateral
BK	below the knee
cata-	down
circum-	around
cis-	on the same side, on the near side
contra-	against, opposite
deep	Below the surface of the skin or within body cavity or limbs.
dextr/o	right
dis-	twice, apart, not
dist/o	distant, far
distal	farthest from the origin
dors/o	back of body
dorsum	top of the foot
ecto-	out, outward
en-	in, within
endo-	within
epi-	above, on, following
eso-	inward
ex-	out, away from
exo-	outside, outward
ext	exterior
extra-	outside of, beyond
fore-	before, in front
frontal coronal plane	Separates the body's anterior and posterior
ICS	intercostal space
inf.	inferior
inferior	below
infra-	below, down, under
inter-	between
ipsi-	same
juxta-	near, close
L&R	left & right
lat	lateral
later/o	side
lateral	Away from the body's midline
LE	lower extremity
levo-	left
LLE	left lower extremity
LLL	left lower lobe
LLQ	left lower quadrant
LUE	left upper extremity
LUL	left upper lobe
LUQ	left upper quadrant
medi/o	middle
medial	Toward the body's midline
P-A	posteroanterior
peri-	around, surrounding
post-	after, behind, back
post.	posterior
posterior	back
pre-	before, in front of
prone	Lying on the abdomen
pros/o	forward, anterior
prox.	proximal
proxim/o	nearest
proximal	Nearest to the point of attachment to the trunk
retro-	backward
RLE	right lower extremity
RLL	right lower lobe
RLQ	right lower quadrant
RUE	right upper extremity
RUL	right upper lobe
RUQ	right upper quadrant
sagittal plane	separates the body's left and right sections
sinistr/o	left
sub-	under, below
sup.	superior
super-	above, beyond
superficial	near the surface
superior	above
supination	The condition of being supine. Alternatively, the act of turning the hand so that the palm is up.
supine	lying face up
supra-	above, upward
tel/o	complete, end
trans-	across, through
transverse horizontal plane	separates the body's upper and lower sections
UE	upper extremity
ventr/o	front, belly side
ventral	Pertaining to the belly or front of the body.

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