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Anatomy & Physiology vocabulary · Body Regions and Directional Terms

Sagittal plane

Meaning in anatomy & physiology, with examples

nounCommon term

In anatomy & physiology, sagittal plane means: An imaginary vertical plane that divides the body into left and right parts. The midsagittal (median) plane runs exactly down the middle and creates equal halves.

In Turkish: sagital düzlem

How it is used

One of the three main body planes, together with the coronal (frontal) plane and the transverse plane. The terms are used for sections in anatomy atlases and for slices in MRI and CT: a sagittal view, a sagittal section.

Example sentences

  1. A cut along the midsagittal plane separates the right half of the brain from the left.

  2. MRI images in the sagittal plane show the whole length of the spinal cord.

Common collocations

  • midsagittal plane
  • parasagittal plane
  • sagittal section
  • sagittal view
  • transverse planeAn imaginary horizontal plane that divides the body into upper (superior) and lower (inferior) parts. Slices in this plane are called cross-sections.
  • medialCloser to the midline, the imaginary vertical line that divides the body into left and right halves. For example, the nose is medial to the eyes.
  • anatomical positionThe standard reference posture used to describe the body: standing upright, facing forward, arms at the sides with the palms facing forward, and feet together.

More terms: Body Regions and Directional Terms

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