Original Author(s): Oliver Jones Show Original Author(s): Oliver Jones The anatomical planes
are hypothetical planes used to describe the location of structures in human anatomy. They are applied to the human body in the anatomical position. In this article, we shall look at the anatomical planes in more detail – in particular, the three most commonly used planes: sagittal, coronal and
transverse. By Connexions (http://cnx.org) [CC-BY-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons Fig 1 – The anatomical planes of the human body. Sagittal PlaneThe sagittal plane is a vertical plane which passes through the body longitudinally. It divides the body into a left section and a right section. A specific sagittal plane is the median sagittal plane – which passes down the midline of the body, separating it into equal halves. Coronal PlaneThe coronal plane is a vertical plane which also passes through the body longitudinally – but perpendicular (at a right angle) to the sagittal plane. It divides the body into a front (anterior) section and back (posterior) section. Transverse PlaneThe transverse plane is a horizontal plane. It is perpendicular to both the sagittal and coronal planes, and parallel to the ground. It divides the body into an upper (superior) section and a lower (inferior) section. Transverse planes are also known as transaxial planes or axial planes. Fig 2 – MRI scan of the cerebrum, demonstrating the three anatomical planes. Left to right: Sagittal, coronal and transverse. This website uses cookies. We use cookies to improve your experience on our site and to show you relevant advertising. To find out more, read our privacy policy. There are three basic reference planes used in anatomy: the sagittal plane, the coronal plane, and the transverse plane. Learning Objectives Key Points
Key Terms
What Are Body Planes?Body planes are hypothetical geometric planes used to divide the body into sections. They are commonly used in both human and zoological anatomy to describe the location or direction of bodily structures. Reference planes are the standard planes used in anatomical terminology and include:
While these are the major reference planes of the body, other planes are commonly used in relation to these three. A
longitudinal plane is any plane perpendicular to the transverse plane, while parasaggital planes are parallel to the saggital plane. Anatomical Planes in a Human: There are three basic planes in zoological anatomy: sagittal, coronal, and transverse. A human in the anatomical position, can be described using a coordinate system with the Z-axis going from front to back, the X-axis going from left to right, and the Y-axis going from up to down. Applications of Body PlanesMedical imaging techniques such as sonography, CT scans, MRI scans, or PET scans are one of the primary applications of body planes. By imaging a patient in standard anatomical position, a radiologist can build an X-Y-Z axis around the patient to apply body planes to the images. The planes can then be used to identify and locate the positions of the patient’s internal organs. Individual organs can also be divided by planes to help identify smaller structures within that organ. Body planes are used to describe anatomical motion in the X-Y-Z coordinate system that the body moves through. An anatomist could model a limb’s range of motion by measuring which planes the limb can move through and how far it is able to travel. Anatomical change during embryological development is also described and measured with body planes. For example, during human embryonic development the coronal plane is horizontal, but becomes vertical as the embryo develops into a fetus. In comparative embryology, body planes provide a basis for comparing the ways in which different types of organisms develop anatomically within the womb. What planes divides the body into?What are the 3 planes of the body?. Coronal (frontal) plane: separates the front (anterior) and back (posterior) of the body.. Sagittal (longitudinal) plane: separates the left and right sides of the body.. Transverse (axial) plane: separates the upper (superior) and lower (inferior) halves of the body.. What plane divides the body into front and back?Planes: Because who said anatomy didn't require an imagination?. How does a sagittal plane separate the body quizlet?The sagittal plane runs vertically through the body and divides the body into right and left segments. Body parts that are closer to the midline of the body are termed "medial" and body parts that are further from the midline of the body are termed "lateral".
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