Planes of the Body – Imaginary Slices that make Anatomy make Sense

What's the Point?

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to identify and describe the anatomical planes used to divide the body and explain why these planes are important in medicine and science.

Jordan and Maya - “How Do Doctors See Inside?”

Jordan is watching a medical show where a doctor points to an image on a screen.

“How do they know what part of the body they’re looking at?” Jordan asks.

Maya replies: “They don’t just look at the body as a whole. They slice it — at least in their minds.”

Jordan blinks. “That sounds… intense.”

Maya laughs. “It’s actually how anatomy makes sense.”

In this lesson, you’ll learn how anatomical planes allow scientists and medical professionals to describe imaginary sections of the body clearly and consistently.

What Are Anatomical Planes?

Anatomical planes are imaginary flat surfaces that divide the body into sections.

These planes help professionals:

Describe locations inside the body
Interpret medical images
Communicate findings clearly

Key idea: Planes don’t cut the body — they help us talk about the body.

The Three Major Anatomical Planes

Diagram of the Anatomical Planes described below image

Explore each section in the tabs below to learn more.

Sagittal Plane
Frontal (Coronal) Plane
Transverse Plane

Sagittal Plane

Divides the body into left and right sections
If it divides the body into equal halves, it is called midsagittal

Example: A sagittal plane separates the left arm from the right arm.

Frontal (Coronal) Plane

Divides the body into front (anterior) and back (posterior) sections

Example: A frontal plane separates the face from the back of the head.

Transverse Plane

Divides the body into upper (superior) and lower (inferior) sections

Example: A transverse plane separates the chest from the abdomen.

Visualizing Planes in Real Life

Planes are used constantly in healthcare.

Medical imaging showing cross-sectional views of the body using anatomical planes.

Watch the video to learn more.

Doctors use planes to:

Read CT scans and MRIs
Describe tumor locations
Explain surgical approaches

Athletes demonstrating movement aligned with sagittal, frontal, and transverse planes. Without planes, internal anatomy would be difficult to describe accurately.

Planes in Motion: Sports & Movement

Planes also apply to movement.

Think about:

A gymnast doing a cartwheel (frontal plane)
A runner moving forward (sagittal plane)
A dancer spinning (transverse plane)

Planes help describe how movement happens, not just where structures are.

Common Mistake: Mixing Up Directional Terms and Planes

Planes describe how the body is divided, not direction.

Directional terms → describe relationships
Planes → describe sections

Example:

“The heart is medial to the lungs” (directional)
“A transverse plane divides the heart from the abdomen” (plane)

Test Yourself

Review what you have learned by completing the activities below.

Which plane divides the body into left and right sections?

Sagittal plane.

Which plane separates the body into front and back sections?

Frontal (coronal) plane.

Why are anatomical planes useful in medicine?

They help professionals describe internal structures and interpret medical images accurately.

In this lesson, you learned that anatomical planes provide a shared way to describe sections of the body, making anatomy easier to visualize and communicate.

Jordan sums it up: “So doctors don’t just see bodies… they see slices.”

Next, you’ll learn how to describe how the body moves, using anatomical movement terms.

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