Sectional planes
The Primary Sectional Planes
Sectional Plane | Orientation | Division | Resulting View |
Sagittal | Vertical (front to back) | Divides the body into Right and Left portions. | Side Profile View: Shows anterior-to-posterior relationships (e.g., viewing the brain's hemispheres, profile of the spine). Midsagittal cuts directly down the midline into equal halves; parasagittal cuts off-center into unequal portions. |
Frontal (Coronal) | Vertical (side to side) | Divides the body into Anterior (Front) and Posterior (Back) portions. | Face-On View: Shows side-to-side and top-to-bottom relationships without depth from front to back (e.g., viewing both lungs and the heart simultaneously from the front). |
Transverse (Horizontal / Cross-Section) | Horizontal (parallel to the ground) | Divides the body into Superior (Upper) and Inferior (Lower) portions. | Top-Down / Cross-Sectional View: Looking down into a cross-section of an organ or body cavity (standard view for CT and axial MRI scans). |
Oblique | Diagonal (at an angle other than 90°) | Slices at any angle between horizontal and vertical planes. | Slanted Profile View: Used primarily to view complex, angled structures like specific heart valves, joint articulations, or bent blood vessels. |
How the View Differs (Example: Looking at the Heart)
Sagittal Section: You see the heart nestled between the front sternum and back spine from the side, revealing its depth.
Frontal Section: You see all four chambers (left/right atria and ventricles) laid out side-by-side from a front-facing perspective.
Transverse Section: You see a round cross-sectional ring showing the thickness of the muscle walls and interior chambers from above.