Which term is synonymous with cranial?

Which term is synonymous with cranial?

• A. Superior
• B. Inferior
• C. Medial
• D. Posterior

Answer: (A)

Cranial means toward the head or the skull. In the standard anatomical position, direction toward the head is the same as toward the top of the body, which is described by the term superior. So cranial and superior describe the same orientation: toward the head. For example, the brain is cranial to the spinal cord, and the eyes are cranial to the mouth. The other terms describe different directions—toward the feet (inferior), toward the midline (medial), or toward the back (posterior)—so they aren’t synonyms for cranial.

Cranial means toward the head or the skull. In the standard anatomical position, direction toward the head is the same as toward the top of the body, which is described by the term superior. So cranial and superior describe the same orientation: toward the head.

For example, the brain is cranial to the spinal cord, and the eyes are cranial to the mouth. The other terms describe different directions—toward the feet (inferior), toward the midline (medial), or toward the back (posterior)—so they aren’t synonyms for cranial.