Which plane runs horizontally from right to left and divides the body into superior and inferior parts?

• A. Sagittal Plane
• B. Frontal Plane
• C. Transverse Plane
• D. Oblique Plane

Answer: (C)

Think of planes as ways to slice the body. A horizontal slice that goes across from one side to the other divides the body into a top (superior) part and a bottom (inferior) part. That is the transverse plane (also called the horizontal plane). It runs perpendicular to the body's long axis, which is why it yields upper and lower portions rather than front/back or left/right. The sagittal plane would split left from right, the frontal (coronal) plane would split front from back, and an oblique plane is at an angle. So the horizontal slice that creates top and bottom sections is the transverse plane.