Which term means toward the midline of the body?

Which term means toward the midline of the body?

• A. Lateral
• B. Melena
• C. Medial
• D. Pleural effusion

Answer: (C)

In anatomy, directional terms describe location relative to the body's midline. Toward the midline is called medial, since it lies closer to the central vertical axis that divides the body into left and right halves. The midline is the reference line, so structures on the inner side or closer to the center are medial. Lateral means away from that midline, toward the outer sides. The other terms given aren’t about position relative to the midline: melena is the term for digested blood in stool, and pleural effusion refers to fluid in the space around the lungs. So the term meaning toward the midline is medial.

In anatomy, directional terms describe location relative to the body's midline. Toward the midline is called medial, since it lies closer to the central vertical axis that divides the body into left and right halves. The midline is the reference line, so structures on the inner side or closer to the center are medial. Lateral means away from that midline, toward the outer sides. The other terms given aren’t about position relative to the midline: melena is the term for digested blood in stool, and pleural effusion refers to fluid in the space around the lungs. So the term meaning toward the midline is medial.