Cranial and caudal

"Cranial" and "caudal" are terms used to describe the position of body parts relative to each other. "Cranial" refers to a body part that is closer to the skull (cranium). "Caudal" describes a body part that is closer to the tail (cauda) of the body.

Humans lost their tail in the course of evolution. Caudal therefore refers more to the tailbone. Cranial and caudal are mainly used to describe the trunk. For the arms and legs, the terms proximal and distal are used.

Example

The chest lies cranial to the hips, which means the chest is closer to the head than the hips. The lower back, in turn, lies caudal to the neck.

These terms are mainly used by (para)medical professionals, such as physicians and physical therapists, to communicate more precisely about the location of an injury or problem. As a patient, you do not necessarily need to be familiar with these terms, but they can help you better understand a medical report.