sagittalplan

The sagittal plane is a vertical anatomical plane that divides the body into left and right portions. It runs from the anterior (front) to the posterior (back) and is perpendicular to the coronal (frontal) plane, while being parallel to the midsagittal plane, which passes through the body’s midline. A sagittal plane that passes exactly through the midline is called the midsagittal or median plane. Planes that are parallel to the midline but offset from it are known as parasagittal planes.

In anatomy and medical imaging, sagittal planes are used to describe sections and orientations. A sagittal section reveals structures from left to right, and a lateral view in radiography is often a sagittal plane image. The brain, spinal cord, and many organs can be studied in sagittal sections, showing left–right relationships such as the corpus callosum, ventricles, or vertebral column alignment.

Movements described in relation to planes include flexion and extension, which occur mainly in the sagittal plane; abduction and adduction occur in the frontal (coronal) plane; rotation occurs in the transverse plane. Understanding the sagittal plane aids in clinical assessment, surgical planning, and interpretation of imaging studies, as it provides a standard reference for describing position and movement of the body and its parts.