Dorsal and Ventral

What Are They, Differences, and More

Author: Georgina Tiarks, MD
Editor: Alyssa Haag, MD
Editor: Kelsey LaFayette, DNP, ARNP, FNP-C 
Editor: Lahav Constantini, MD
Illustrator: Jillian Dunbar
Copyeditor: Joy Mapes
Modified: Feb 06, 2025

What are dorsal and ventral?

Dorsal and ventral are paired anatomical terms used to describe opposite locations on a body that is in the anatomical position. The anatomical position of a human body is defined as a body standing upright with the head facing forward, arms down at the sides with the palms turned forward, and feet parallel facing forward. On a human body, dorsal refers to the back, or posterior, portion of the body, whereas ventral, or anterior, refers to the front part of the body 

The terms dorsal and ventral are also often used to describe the relative location of a body part. For example, the stomach is ventral to the spinal cord, meaning the stomach is located in front of the spinal cord. Similarly, the scapulae are dorsal to the ribs   

Now, for certain parts of the body, including the penis and feet, the uses of ventral and dorsal differ from the standard definition. For instance, the dorsal part of the penis is the side closest to the abdomen when erect. Similarly, for the feet, the dorsal side is the top of the foot, or the area facing upwards when standing upright. 

An infographic detailing dorsal and ventral anatomical terms.

What are the dorsal and ventral body cavities?

The dorsal and ventral body cavities, two of the largest body compartments in humans, are anatomical spaces that contain various organs and structures. The dorsal cavity lies close to the spine in the posterior portion of the body. It contains the spinal column, central nervous system (i.e., brain and spinal cord), and meninges 

On the anterior side of the body, the ventral cavity is made up of the thoracic cavity, abdominal cavity, and pelvic cavity. The thoracic cavity contains the heart, lungs, breast tissue, thymus gland, and blood vessels. Inside the abdominal cavity are the stomach, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, small intestine, colon, appendix, and kidneys. Lastly, the pelvic cavity contains the reproductive organs, bladder, part of the colon (i.e., large intestine), and the rectum. 

What are the most important facts to know about dorsal and ventral?

Dorsal and ventral are anatomical terms that refer, respectively, to the back and front portions of the human body in the anatomical position. These terms can also be referred to as posterior and anterior. Ventral and dorsal can be used to describe the position of organs in relation to one another. For example, the intestines are ventral to the kidneys, meaning the small intestines are anterior, or in front of, the kidneys. These anatomical terms can also describe different body cavities. The dorsal cavity contains the spinal cord, central nervous system, and spinal column, whereas the ventral cavity consists of the thoracic, abdominal, and pelvic cavities. 

References


Drake, RL. Gray’s Anatomy for Students. Elsevier; 2019.  


Greiner TM. Anatomical Nomenclature: Conundrums of Nonstandardized Foot and Ankle TerminologyElsevier eBooks. Published online January 1, 2023:53-74. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-12-815449-6.00005-6