Planes & Sections

What are planes and sections?

A concept of how we cut the body to produce two different sections or two sides to that cut.

Planes

Imaginary flat surfaces that pass through the body that we use to produce different sections.

Sections

The surfaces that are able to be viewed after we've cut along a particular plane.

How many major planes do you need to know?

Three major planes.

What is the fourth plane that is not often used?

The oblique plane.

Sagittal plane

An imaginary vertical line that runs through the body to produce a left and a right side.

What does the sagittal plane divide the body into?

A left and a right side.

Mid sagittal plane

A sagittal section taken down the dead centre midline of the body, producing two equal halves.

Para-sagittal plane

A sagittal section taken slightly off to one side of the midline, producing two unequal halves.

What determines whether a sagittal plane is mid or para?

Whether it runs directly down the midline or slightly to the left or right of it.

What viewpoint do you get from a sagittal section?

A side view of internal structures.

Transverse plane

A plane that runs on the horizontal axis through the body.

What does the transverse plane divide the body into?

A top and a bottom section, or a superior and inferior section.

Another name for the transverse plane

Horizontal plane.

What does a transverse section of the chest show?

A cross section of the left and right lungs looking upwards from underneath.

How does a transverse viewpoint differ from a sagittal viewpoint?

It gives a completely different perspective of the internal structures.

Frontal plane

A plane that divides the body into an anterior (front) portion and a posterior (back) portion.

Another name for the frontal plane

Coronal plane.

What does the frontal plane produce when cut?

A front and a back section, or a ventral and dorsal section.

What structures can you see clearly in a frontal chest section?

The entirety of the left and right lung and a cross-section of the ribs.

If a frontal section is taken toward the front of the skull, what structures are visible?

More anterior structures such as the eyes.

If a frontal section is taken further back, what structures are visible?

More posterior structures such as the cerebellum and brain stem.

Oblique plane

A plane that runs obliquely or diagonally through the body on an angle.

Why is the oblique plane not often used?

It is quite complex and difficult to visualise and appreciate what you're looking at.

A vertical cut producing equal left and right halves is called?

Mid sagittal plane.

A horizontal cut dividing the body into superior and inferior portions is called?

Transverse plane.

A vertical cut dividing anterior and posterior portions is called?

Frontal (coronal) plane.

A sagittal cut slightly off the midline produces what?

Two unequal halves (para-sagittal plane).

Which plane would show both lungs fully from a front-facing internal view?

Frontal (coronal) plane.

Which plane would show a cross section of the lungs from underneath?

Transverse plane.