Basic body planes and sections Anatomy and Physiology Basic body planes and sections

Basic body planes and sections Body sections are necessary to look at the internal structures of the body. When a section is made through the body wall or through an organ, it is made along an imaginary line called plane. The body has three types of planes or sections.

Body Sections The most frequently used body planes are sagittal, frontal and transverse which are at right angles to each other. 1. A sagittal section divides the body into right and left portions. If it passes along the midline and divides the body into equal parts it is a median or midsagittal section. 2. A transverse section divides the body into superior and inferior portions. It is often called a “cross section”. 3. A coronal or frontal section divides the body into anterior and posterior sections.

These terms are used for planes or sections that cut the body, organs, tissues, or cells

Midsagital (Median) Frontal (coronal) Transverse

Transverse Midsagital (Median) Frontal (coronal)

Example of how planes would cut the brain

MRI Abdomen Anatomy

Example of how planes would cut the body

Body Cavities

Dorsal body cavity Dorsal body cavity is divided into a cranial cavity which encases the brain, and the vertebral cavity which encases the spinal cord.

Ventral body cavity The ventral body cavity houses the visceral organs The ventral body cavity is divided into the thoracic, abdominal, and pelvic cavities

Thoracic Cavity The thoracic cavity is surrounded by the ribs and muscles of the chest It is further divided into pleural cavities mediastinum pericardial

Abdominopelvic Cavity Abdominopelvic cavity lies below a dome-shaped muscle, the diaphragm It is further divided into . Abdominal cavity Stomach, intestines, liver Pelvic cavity Bladder, rectum, and some reproductive organs

Body regions The abdominal area can be divided into nine regions – epigastric, right and left hypochondriac, umbilical, right and left lumbar, hypogastric, and right and left inguinal or iliac 16

Body regions, cont The abdominal area can also be divided into four quadrants – right and left upper quadrants and right and left lower quadrants. 17

Abdominopelvic Major Organs Anterior view of the ventral body cavities showing superficial organs.