MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Peripheral

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Peripheral

Contents of this page:
Illustrations	Definition

Illustrations

Anatomical landmarks, back view

Anatomical landmarks, front view

Peripheral orientation

Definition Return to top

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

Update Date: 1/22/2007

Updated by: Benjamin W. Van Voorhees, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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