Which term means toward the head?

• A. Cranial
• B. Caudal
• C. Proximal
• D. Distal

Answer: (A)

Directional terms along the head-to-tail axis explain where a body part lies relative to another. The term meaning toward the head is cranial. Cranial describes a position closer to the skull or head end, the opposite of caudal, which means toward the tail. Proximal and distal describe closeness to a reference point, usually the trunk or an attachment point of a limb: proximal is nearer to the body center, distal is farther away. For example, the eyes are cranial to the mouth, the thigh is proximal to the knee, and the fingers are distal to the elbow. This headward direction is what cranial captures best, whereas caudal, proximal, and distal refer to different kinds of spatial relationships not specifically about headward orientation.