Learn English – The difference between superior and upper in medical terminology

differences

I'm studying some medical terms and one of them is "arteries of the upper limb" and another one is "superior vena cava". As I translate them, superior and upper both have the same meaning which is "above the other or higher" so I'm asking: if they are not synonynms what is the difference between them?

The same question goes for "inferior" and "lower".

Best Answer

Scientists often prefer to use technical terms that are usually (but not always) more precise than those found in everyday language.

So "superior vena cava" is specifying an exact spatial relationship to other structures found in the heart. By contrast, the term "upper limb" is referring to less well-defined regions of the body, so does not need to be so precise.