Dorsal

Dorsalis

Definition

Dorsal (or posterior) means towards the back.

Both dorsal (or posterior) and ventral (or anterior) are directional terms which describe the location of the body parts to the back or to the front. For instance, the vertebral column is located dorsally, while the sternum is a ventrally situated structure. Similarly, shoulder blades are situated on the dorsal aspect of the rib cage.

References

Text written by Muhammad A. Javaid, MD, PhD © 2023 IMAIOS.

  • Drake, R.L., Vogl, A.W. and Mitchell, A.W.M. (2009). ‘Chapter 1: The Body’ in Gray’s anatomy for Students. (2nd ed.) Philadelphia PA 19103-2899: Elsevier, pp. 6.

  • SEER Training Modules, Intro to the Human Body, Anatomical Terminology. U. S. National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute. February 2nd, 2023 < https://training.seer.cancer.gov/anatomy/body/terminology.html>