Intro to Anatomy 1: Life, Organization, and Terminology

Anatomical Terminology:

Body Planes and Sections:

Any three-dimensional object can be divided into sections along three planes, and the human body is no different. When we refer to cutting or sectioning of the body, we refer to the three planes.


A sagittal plane divides the body into right and left. Accordingly, a sagittal section is a cut (real or imaginary) along a sagittal plane, dividing the body into right and left. (Because it divides the head into right and left halves, the crest that runs along the top of the skull of a gorilla or a Klingon is known as a sagittal crest.)

Technically, a sagittal section is any section that divides the body into right and left. If the section is right down the midline of the body, and thus exactly divides the body into right and left halves, it is known as a midsagittal (or median) section. A sagittal section that is to the right or left of the body midline (and so divides the body into unequal-sized left and right portions) is a parasagittal section.

Relatedly, a cut that is parallel to the midline of the body (whether or not it is a sagittal cut) is often referred to as a longitudinal section, since it is going down the long axis of the body.

That is to say, a sagittal cut makes a longitudinal section (as does a coronal cut), but not all longitudinal sections are the result of sagittal cuts. (Some are produced by coronal cuts.)



A transverse plane divides the body horizontally, into a superior and an inferior portion. Accordingly, a transverse section is a cut along the transverse plane, dividing the body into superior and inferior portions. Because it divides the body horizontally, a transverse section is also known as a horizontal section.

A transverse/horizontal section is a cut that is going at a right angle to the midline of the body. Since it is a cut that is going across the length of the body, a commonly-used synonym for a transverse section is a cross section.



A coronal section is a cut that divides the body into anterior and posterior portions. Because it divides the body into front and back sections, it is also known as a frontal section.


A cut that is at a diagonal to the midline of the body is known as an oblique section.