Akademik

Lateral
The side of the body or body part that is farther from the middle or center (median) of the body. Typically, lateral refers to the outer side of the body part, but it is also used to refer to the side of a body part. For example, when referring to the knee, lateral would mean the side of the knee that is farthest from the opposite knee. The opposite of lateral is medial. In radiology, "a lateral" is slang short for a lateral film. See: Lateral X-ray.
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1. On the side. SYN: lateralis [TA]. 2. Farther from the median or midsagittal plane. SYN: lateralis [TA]. 3. In dentistry, a position either right or left of the midsagittal plane. 4. A radiographic projection made with the film in the sagittal plane; especially, the second view of a chest series. SYN: lateralis [TA]. [L. lateralis, l., fr. latus, side]

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lat·er·al 'lat-ə-rəl, 'la-trəl adj of or relating to the side esp, of a body part lying at or extending toward the right or left side: lying away from the median axis of the body <the lungs are \lateral to the heart> <the \lateral branch of the axillary artery>

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adj.
1. situated at or relating to the side of an organ or organism.
2. (in anatomy) relating to the region or parts of the body that are furthest from the median plane.
3. (in radiology) in the sagittal plane.

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lat·er·al (latґər-əl) [L. lateralis] 1. denoting a position farther from the median plane or midline of the body or of a structure. 2. pertaining to a side.

Medical dictionary. 2011.