Body Planes & Positional Terms

Superior

Above or higher than another part of the body.

Inferior

Below or closer to the feet relative to another structure

Medial

Closer to the imaginary center line (midline) that divides the body into equal left and right halves

Lateral

A position farther away from the middle or center line of the body

Proximal

Closer to the center of the body, the trunk, or the point where a limb attaches

Distal

Farther away from the center of the body or the point where a limb attaches

Deep

Farther away from the surface of the body

Superficial

Closer to the surface of the body compared to another underlying structure.

Sagittal plane

Imaginary vertical line that divides the body into left and right sides

Midsagittal (median) plane

Cuts right down the exact center of the body into equal left and right halves.

Parasagittal plane

Runs parallel to the center line and divides the body into unequal left and right parts

Transverse Plane

Imaginary horizontal line that divides the body into top (superior) and bottom (inferior) halves

Coronal/Frontal plane

Vertical imaginary line that divides the body into front (anterior) and back (posterior) sections

Oblique plane

Imaginary flat surface that cuts through the body or an organ at an odd angle that is neither parallel nor perpendicular to the standard vertical and horizontal axes