Medial
Historical document, translated for reference. It reflects medical knowledge of the 1920s–30s and is not medical advice.
Summary
In anatomical terminology, medial refers to a position situated toward the midline of the body. It is the opposite of lateral and is used to describe the relative positioning of organs and vessels, such as the relationship between the vena cava, aorta, and kidneys.
Encyclopedia entry (1928–1936)
MEDIAL (from the Latin medius—middle), lying inward, i.e., in the direction of the midline of the body; it is contrasted with the concept of lateral. Thus, for example, the inferior vena cava lies medially in relation to the right kidney and laterally in relation to the abdominal aorta. The femoral vein is located medially in relation to the artery of the same name, and so on.
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“Medial.” Soviet Medical Encyclopedia. English translation of Bolshaya Meditsinskaya Entsiklopediya, 1st ed. (Moscow, 1928–1936), ed. N. A. Semashko. https://sovietmedicalencyclopedia.pages.dev/article/medial/