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Anatomy & Physiology vocabulary · Body Regions and Directional Terms

Transverse plane

Meaning in anatomy & physiology, with examples

nounCommon term

In anatomy & physiology, transverse plane means: An imaginary horizontal plane that divides the body into upper (superior) and lower (inferior) parts. Slices in this plane are called cross-sections.

In Turkish: transvers düzlem, aksiyel düzlem, yatay düzlem

How it is used

Also called the horizontal or axial plane. CT scans are usually viewed as axial (transverse) slices seen from the patient's feet, so the patient's left side appears on the right of the screen.

Example sentences

  1. A cut in the transverse plane through the upper abdomen shows the liver, stomach and kidneys together.

  2. Most CT images are reviewed in the transverse plane.

Common collocations

  • transverse section
  • cross-section
  • axial plane
  • horizontal plane
  • sagittal planeAn 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.
  • superiorToward the head or the upper part of a structure; above. For example, the head is superior to the shoulders.
  • inferiorAway from the head or toward the lower part of a structure; below. For example, the stomach is inferior to the diaphragm.
  • 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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