Which term describes a position toward the midline of the body?

• A. proximal
• B. lateral
• C. medial
• D. distal

Answer: (C)

Medial describes a position toward the midline of the body—the imaginary line that divides left and right sides. Structures that are medial lie closer to this center line, while those farther from it are described as lateral. This is different from proximal and distal, which describe distance along a limb from its point of attachment to the trunk: proximal means nearer to the trunk, distal means farther away. For example, the nose sits medial to the eyes, and the heart is medial to the lungs; the knee is proximal to the ankle. So the term that best fits “toward the midline” is medial.