Dictionary > Median plane

Median plane

In anatomy, the median plane refers to a plane passing vertically through the midline. It divides the body into left and right halves of equal proportion, i.e. in the case of bilateral symmetry. In the human body, the median plane corresponds to the plane running from the top to the bottom through the midline structures such as navel and spine.

Etymology

The term median came from the Latin medianus, which pertains to the middle whereas the term plane came from the Latin plānum, meaning “flat surface”. Synonym: midsagittal plane.

Anatomical planes

The different anatomical planes of the human body: coronal plane, transverse plane, and sagittal plane. The plane that runs through the median is the median plane.

Anatomical planes are hypothetical planes used in describing the location of bodily structures or movement directions. There are three major planes used in animal and human anatomy: (1) the sagittal plane, (2) coronal plane (also called frontal plane or Y-X plane), and (3) transverse plane (also called axial plane or X-Z plane). The sagittal plane (also called lateral plane or Y-Z plane) refers to any hypothetical plane that runs parallel to the median plane. There are two types of sagittal plane: median and parasagittal.

Median plane vs. median section

The median section (also called midsagittal section) refers to the cross-section that runs through the median plane. The term can be applied both in actuality and through imaging techniques. The median section may be applied to a whole body or any body part that is sliced across the median plane. In the human body, the components of the left plane are often symmetrical to the components of the right plane. Since actual sectioning the median plane results in a right and a left half, an anatomical median section may be a two-dimensional view of the cut surface on the medial aspect of either half.

Median plane vs. sagittal plane

The sagittal plane is a plane traversing the direction from top to bottom. Thus, similar to the median plane, the sagittal plane results in the formation of left and right portions. However, the left and right sections of a sagittal plane may not be of the same girth as the cut could be done anywhere from top to bottom. In the case of cutting through the midline, it would be referred to as the median plane, which is also referred to, in particular, as the mid-sagittal plane. Thus, a median plane is a type of sagittal plane that runs along the midline.

Median plane vs. parasagittal plane

Another type of sagittal plane is the parasagittal plane. It is the plane situated alongside or parallel to the mid-sagittal plane. Thus, it would refer to any plane traversing the direction from top to bottom but except for the midline as it would then be referred to as the median plane. For example, the midclavicular line crossing through the clavicle is a parasagittal plane.

See also

References

  1. 1.4D: Body Planes and Sections. (2018, July 18). Retrieved from Medicine LibreTexts website: https://med.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Anatomy_and_Physiology/Book%3A_Anatomy_and_Physiology_(Boundless)/1%3A_Introduction_to_Anatomy_and_Physiology/1.4%3A_Mapping_the_Body/1.4D%3A_Body_Planes_and_Sections

Further readings


© Biology Online. Content provided and moderated by Biology Online Editors



You will also like...

Sugar Homeostasis
Sugar Homeostasis

The blood sugar level is regulated by two hormones. The mechanism behind this type of negative feedback control is descr..

Birth Control and Contraception
Birth Control and Contraception

Different pregnancy and birth control and contraception strategies are described. Read this tutorial to learn each of th..

IQ, Creativity and Learning
IQ, Creativity and Learning

Human intelligence provided the means to utilize abstract ideas and implement reasoning. This tutorial takes a further l..

Young plant growing from the soil.
Soils

Nutrients in the soil are essential to the proper growth of a land plant. This tutorial deals with the properties of soi..

A chart depicting Mendel's Law of Dominance
Mendel’s Law & Mendelian Genetics

One of Mendel’s law of inheritance is the “law of dominance”. Read this tutorial to know more about this form of i..

Community Patterns

Learn about community patterns and the ecological factors influencing these patterns. Revisit some of the ecosystems you..

Related Articles...

No related articles found

See all Related Topics