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Proximal

Proximal means nearer to the center (trunk of the body) or to the point of attachment to the body. If another reference point is given, such as the heart, the proximal point of another organ or extremity is the point closest to the heart, central rather than peripheral.

Peripheral

Peripheral means "away from the center. " It refers to areas away from the center of the body or a body part. For example, the hands are peripheral ...

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Proximal is the opposite of distal.

Distal

Distal refers to sites located away from a specific area, most often the center of the body. In medicine, it refers to parts of the body further awa...

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Review Date: 1/1/2025

Reviewed By

Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Clinical Professor Emeritus, Department of Family Medicine, UW Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.

References

Taber's Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary. 24th ed. Philadelphia, PA: F.A. Davis Company; 2021. www.tabers.com/tabersonline/view/Tabers-Dictionary/730339/all/proximal. Accessed December 16, 2024.

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