Sagittal plane (Redirected from Sagittal section)

Sagittal plane
Human anatomy planes, labeled.svg
The main anatomical planes of the human body, including mid-sagittal or median (red), parasagittal (yellow), frontal or coronal plane (blue) and transverse or axial plane (green)
View of a Skull III.jpg
Mid-sagittal section of a human skull, by Leonardo da Vinci, c. 1489
Details
Identifiers
Latinplana sagittalia
TA98A01.2.00.003
TA249
FMA11361
Anatomical terminology

In anatomy, the sagittal plane (/ˈsædʒɪtəl/), or longitudinal plane, is an anatomical plane which divides the body into right and left parts. The plane may be in the center of the body and split it into two halves (mid-sagittal) or away from the midline and split it into unequal parts (para-sagittal).The anatomical term sagittal was coined by Gerard of Cremona.

Variations in terminology

Examples of sagittal planes include:

The term sagittal is derived from the Latin word sagitta, meaning "arrow". An image of an arrow piercing a body and passing from front (anterior) to back (posterior) on a parabolic trajectory would be one way to demonstrate the derivation of the term. Another explanation would be the notching of the sagittal suture posteriorly by the lambdoidal suture —similar to feathers on an arrow.

  • Sagittal axis or anterior-posterior axis is the axis perpendicular to the coronal plane, i.e., the one formed by the intersection of the sagittal and the transversal planes
  • Coronal axis, medial-lateral axis, or frontal axis is the axis perpendicular to the sagittal plane, i.e., the one formed by the intersection of the coronal and the transversal planes.
  • Extension and flexion are the movements of limbs within the sagittal plane.
  • Abduction and adduction are terms for movements of limbs within the coronal plane.
  • Sagittal plane movements include flexion, extension, and hyperextension, as well as dorsiflexion and plantar flexion.

Additional images

See also


This page was last updated at 2021-11-07 10:17 UTC. Update now. View original page.

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