BIOL 2401 - Planes and Body Organization

standard anatomical position

body erect, feet slightly apart, palms facing forward with thumbs pointing away from body

sagittal plane

vertical 90 degree cut into left and right

midsagittal plane or median plane

vertical 90 degree cut made perfectly down the middle of the body or organ

parasagittal plane

vertical 90 degree cut made off-center of the body or organ

frontal plane or coronal plane

vertical 90 degree cut separating into anterior (front) and posterior (back) sections

transverse plane or horizontal plane

horizontal 90 degree cut separating into superior (top) and inferior (bottom) sections

oblique section

any diagonal cuts made to the body that are not 90 degrees (BOTH vertically and horizontally)

ventral

towards the front, same as anterior

dorsal

towards the back, same as posterior

anterior

toward the ventral side (in front of)

posterior

toward the dorsal side (behind)

cephalic

closer to or towards the head

rostral

closer towards the forehead or nose

caudal

closer to or towards the tail

superior

above

inferior

below

medial

towards the midline or medial plane (HORIZONTAL ONLY)

lateral

away from the midline or medial plane (HORIZONTAL ONLY)

proximal

closer to the point of attachment or origin

distal

farther from the point of attachment or origin

ipsilateral

on the same side of the body

contralateral

on the opposite side of the body

superficial

closer to the surface of the body

deep

farther from the surface of the body