Caudolaterale

Caudolaterale is an anatomical directional term used to denote a location that is both caudal (toward the tail) and lateral (toward the side) relative to a defined reference point. The term derives from Latin caudalis (tail) and lateralis (lateral) and is used in both human and veterinary anatomy to describe where a structure lies in relation to the body’s midline and longitudinal axis. It may appear in clinical descriptions, imaging reports, and surgical planning, sometimes in the form caudolateral or caudolaterally.

In practice, caudolateral is a relative descriptor. Caudal indicates a position toward the tail end, and lateral indicates a position away from the midline. The exact orientation is determined by the chosen reference frame, which differs between humans and quadruped animals. In veterinary contexts, for example, descriptions often follow a quadruped orientation (head toward the anterior end, tail toward the posterior end; dorsal toward the back, ventral toward the belly). The term does not imply function or depth; it simply locates a position in space. It can be used alongside other directional terms such as cranial, caudal, medial, or lateral to specify a precise region.

Caudolateral is commonly found in neuroanatomy, orthopedic descriptions, and other anatomical fields where precise spatial nomenclature is required. It is sometimes written with hyphenation as caudo-lateral or used in phrases like the caudolateral aspect of a structure. See also directional terms and anatomical planes, which provide the broader framework for such descriptors.