Anatomical Planes and Sections of the Body
Descriptions and Relevance
Anatomical Planes
There are three anatomical planes, or body planes, each representing an imaginary two-dimensional surface that passes through the body. The planes intersect at right angles and divide the body into front, back, side, top, and bottom regions. They are frequently used references in anatomy, medical imaging, and clinical descriptions.
(a) The sagittal plane is the plane that divides the body or an organ vertically into right and left sides. If this vertical plane runs directly down the middle of the body, it is called the midsagittal or median plane. If it divides the body into unequal right and left sides, it is called a parasagittal plane or, less commonly, a longitudinal section.
(b) The frontal plane or coronal plane is the plane that divides the body or an organ into an anterior (front) portion and a posterior (rear) portion.
(c) The transverse plane or horizontal plane divides the body or organ horizontally into superior (upper) and inferior (lower) portions.
Example Activity
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Anatomical Sections
An anatomical section is a slice or cut through a body part made along a specific anatomical plane. Sections are made to show the internal organization of organs and tissues from a particular perspective. Sections can be created physically, such as those obtained during dissection, or virtually, such as those produced by CT or MRI scans.
When a body structure is sectioned, the result is a two-dimensional surface of a three-dimensional structure, which can be challenging to interpret. A section is best understood when the viewer knows the anatomical plane in which the cut was made, because the plane determines which surfaces of the structure are exposed.
A sagittal section, made in the sagittal plane, divides a structure into right and left portions and exposes the medial surfaces of each side. A frontal (coronal) section, made in the frontal plane, divides a structure into top and bottom portions, exposing its anterior and posterior surfaces. A transverse (cross) section, made in the transverse plane, divides a structure into top and inferior portions, exposing superior and inferior surfaces.
In summary, the name of an anatomical section refers to the plane of the cut, whereas the resulting views, or exposed surfaces, are described using anatomical directional terms.
| Section Type | Plane of Cut | Views Produced |
|---|---|---|
| Sagittal | Sagittal | Right and left (medial surfaces) |
| Frontal (Coronal) | Frontal (Coronal) | Anterior and posterior |
| Transverse (Cross) | Transverse (Horizontal) | Superior and inferior |
Example Activity and Images
Anatomical Planes, Sections, and Resulting Views of the Brain
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Anatomical Planes, Sections, and Resulting Views of the Kidney
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(1125 px X 1500 px)
Assessment
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References and Attributions
OpenStax – “Anatomical Terminology.” Access for free at – https://openstax.org/books/anatomy-and-physiology/pages/1-introduction.
Wikipedia – “Anatomical Plane.”