horizontal plane

plane

[plān] 1. a flat surface determined by the position of three points in space.2. an imaginary flat surface that divides the body into sections (see accompanying figure). adj., adj pla´nar.3. a specified level, as the plane of anesthesia.4. to rub away or abrade; see also planing and plastic surgery.5. a superficial incision in the wall of a cavity or between tissue layers, especially in plastic surgery, made so that the precise point of entry into the cavity or between the layers can be determined.

Planes of section. Transverse, sagittal, and frontal planes of the body. From Applegate, 2000.coronal p's frontal p's.datum plane a given horizontal plane from which craniometric measurements are made.frontal p's those planes passing longitudinally through the body, an organ, or a part, at right angles to the median plane and dividing into front and back portions. Called also coronal planes.horizontal plane transverse plane.median plane one passing longitudinally through the body, an organ, or a part from front to back, dividing it into right and left halves.sagittal p's vertical planes through the body parallel to the median plane or the sagittal suture, dividing the body into unequal left and right portions.transverse plane one passing horizontally through the body, an organ, or a part at right angles to the median and frontal planes, dividing it into upper and lower portions. Called also horizontal plane.vertical plane one perpendicular to a horizontal plane, such as a sagittal plane, median plane, or frontal plane.