Anatomical plane

An anatomical plane is an imaginary flat surface (plane) that is used to transect the body, in order to describe the location of structures or the direction of movements. In anatomy, planes are mostly used to divide the body into sections. In human anatomy three principal planes are used: the sagittal plane, coronal plane (frontal plane), and transverse plane. Sometimes the median plane as a specific sagittal plane is included as a fourth plane. In animals with a horizontal spine the coronal plane divides the body into dorsal (towards the backbone) and ventral (towards the belly) parts and is termed the dorsal plane. A parasagittal plane is any plane that divides the body into left and right sections. The median plane or midsagittal plane is a specific sagittal plane; it passes through the middle of the body, dividing it into left and right halves. The coronal plane, also frontal plane divides the body into front and back parts. The transverse plane, also called the axial or horizontal plane, is perpendicular to the other two planes, and is parallel to the ground.