mediolaterale

Mediolaterale, or mediolateral in English, is a term used in anatomy and medicine to describe orientation, planes, or axes that run between the midline (medial) and the sides (lateral) of the body or an organ. It is commonly applied to describe directions or lines of movement, and it is also used in imaging and surgical contexts to indicate a trajectory or approach that extends from the midline toward the lateral aspect.

Etymology and usage context: The word derives from Latin medius (middle) and latus (side). It is used across languages, including Italian and English, to indicate a mediolateral orientation. In biomechanics and kinematics, the mediolateral axis runs from medial to lateral and serves as the axis around which flexion and extension typically occur in joints such as the knee or elbow; movements around this axis are described as occurring in the sagittal plane.

Applications: In radiology and clinical procedures, mediolateral projections or approaches refer to directions that traverse the body from the midline toward the side, for example a mediolateral radiographic view of a limb. In anatomical descriptions, structures can be described as mediolateral relative to the midline, such as mediolateral lines of muscle fibers, nerves, or bone features.

See also: medial, lateral, mediolateral axis, sagittal plane, frontal (coronal) plane, planes of movement.