What term describes a structure away from the midline of the body?

• A. Lateral
• B. Medial
• C. Proximal
• D. Distal

Answer: (A)

Lateral describes a structure away from the midline of the body, meaning toward the side. The midline is the imaginary line that divides the body into left and right halves, so anything farther from that center line is described as lateral. Medial is the opposite, referring to closer to the midline. Proximal and distal talk about how close a point is to where a limb attaches to the trunk—proximal is nearer, distal is farther away. So when describing position relative to the body's center, lateral is the term used for structures toward the side away from the midline.