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The Daily Insight

What is the transverse thoracic plane

Author

Isabella Wilson

Published Mar 17, 2026

The transversus thoracic plane block (TTPB), formerly known as the parasternal plane block, is a newer regional anesthesia technique that provides analgesia to the medial anterior chest wall and may consequently decrease pulmonary morbidity and the need for large-dose opioids.

How would you describe the transverse plane?

The transverse plane or axial plane (also called the horizontal plane or transaxial plane) is an imaginary plane that divides the body into superior and inferior parts. It is perpendicular to the coronal plane and sagittal plane.

What is the plane of the sternal angle?

Sternal angleFMA7547Anatomical terminology

How many transverse planes exist in the human body?

A transverse plane (right) divides the body, or part of it, into top and bottom portions. Note that each of the three anatomical planes can be moved and still retain the name associated with its direction of orientation. Think of standing in the shallow end of a swimming pool with the water at about navel level.

How does a transverse plane separate the body?

Transverse Plane A transverse plane divides the body horizontally, from side to side or left to right, into upper (superior) and lower (inferior) portions. Traditionally, when the transverse plane is indicated in anatomical charts, its division is placed below the waist.

What movements occur in transverse plane?

Twisting or rotational movements occur in the transverse plane, such as twisting your head from side to side. Front to back movements occur in the sagittal plane, such as walking, pushing, pulling and squatting.

What is the transverse plane on an animal?

A transverse plane (or, horizontal plane) divides the animal into upper and lower portions. This is sometimes called a cross section; if the transverse cut is at an angle, it is called an oblique plane.

What plane separates the head from the neck?

Sagittal Plane: A Sagittal Plane divides the body into right/left parts [head, neck, trunk, tail].

Which of the following actions occur along the transverse plane?

Transverse plane – passes through the middle of the body and divides the body horizontally in an upper and lower half. Rotation types of movement occur in this plane, eg hip rotation in a golf swing, twisting in a discus throw, pivoting in netball, spinning in skating.

What is the name of the upper portion of the sternum?

The manubrium (Latin for “handle”) is the broad upper part of the sternum. It has a quadrangular shape, narrowing from the top, which gives it four borders. The suprasternal notch (jugular notch) is located in the middle at the upper broadest part of the manubrium.

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Why sternal angle is important?

Clinical Significance The sternal angle is an important clinical landmark for identifying many other anatomical points: It marks the point at which the costal cartilages of the second rib articulate with the sternum. This is particularly useful when counting ribs to identify landmarks as rib one is often impalpable.

Can you feel manubrium?

Xiphoid process The manubrium of the sternum is the superior part of the sternum. The manubrium has the following features: Jugular notch (suprasternal notch) – you can palpate this notch yourself if you feel in the midline between the proximal ends of your clavicles.

What are the 4 planes of the body?

  • median or sagittal plane.
  • a parasagittal plane.
  • frontal or coronal plane.
  • transverse or axial plane.

What are the 3 planes of the body?

  • Sagittal Plane: Cuts the body into left and right halves. Forward and backward movements.
  • Frontal Plane: Cuts the body into front and back halves. Side-to-side movements.
  • Transverse Plane: Cuts the body into top and bottom halves.

Which plane is most useful in the studies of organs in the human body?

The three planes most commonly used in anatomical and medical imaging are the sagittal, frontal (or coronal), and transverse plane.

What plane separates thoracic and abdominal cavities?

coronal plane: Any vertical plane that divides the body into anterior and posterior (belly and back) sections. transverse plane: Any plane that divides the body into superior and inferior parts, roughly perpendicular to the spine.

What is the oblique plane?

An oblique plane in the anatomical position describes any plane that is not in any of the coronal, sagittal, median or horizontal planes.

What's another name for coronal plane?

A coronal plane (also known as the frontal plane) is any vertical plane that divides the body into ventral and dorsal (belly and back) sections. It is one of the three main planes of the body used to describe the location of body parts in relation to each other axis.

Which primal movement is performed in the transverse plane?

The transverse plane divides the body into superior and inferior halves. Generally, rotational movements of the trunk plus internal and external rotation of the hips and shoulders occur here.

What joint type moves primarily in the transverse plane?

Rotation. Rotation movements are in the transverse plane and include any twisting motion. Joints which permit rotation include the shoulder and hip. These are both ball and socket joints.

What plane is a squat performed in?

A squat requires mobility of the lower limb joints and the trunk. Although movement is always three dimensional, squatting involves mainly motion in the sagittal plane.

What plane does shaking your head no occur in?

*when you shake your head ‘no,’ your head rotates in the transverse plane about the longitudinal axis created by the spinal column.

Is Circumduction in the transverse plane?

Circumduction, which involves making a circle with a limb or segment, combines sagittal (flexion, extension) and frontal plane (abduction, adduction) motions. All movements defined in this slide show are rotational movement, even though we use the word rotation only for transverse plane motions.

What is the anterior movement of a body part in the transverse plane called?

protraction. the anterior movement of a body part in the transverse plane.

What plane is a slanted plane that passes through the body?

the coronal plane passes side-to-side through the body, dividing it into anterior and posterior portions.

Which body plane is also called the frontal plane?

Coronal Plane (Frontal Plane) – A vertical plane running from side to side; divides the body or any of its parts into anterior and posterior portions.

Which plane runs parallel to the ground in a standing human?

In anatomical position, transverse planes are parallel to the ground. The second is the coronal plane, also known as the frontal plane, which is a vertical plane that divides the body into the front and back sections.

What is the end of the breastbone called?

The smallest and most inferior region of the sternum, the xiphoid process, begins life as a region of flexible hyaline cartilage attached to the end of the body of the sternum. The xiphoid process slowly ossifies throughout childhood and adulthood until around age 40 when all of its cartilage is replaced by bone.

What bone is located just below the urinary bladder?

The pubic symphysis is a secondary cartilaginous joint between the left and right superior rami of the pubis of the hip bones. It is in front of and below the urinary bladder. In males, the suspensory ligament of the penis attaches to the pubic symphysis.

What's in the middle of your chest?

Your sternum is a bone that’s located in the middle of your chest. It’s also sometimes referred to as the breastbone. Your sternum protects the organs of your torso from injury and also serves as a connection point for other bones and muscles.

Which ribs are true ribs?

In humans there are normally 12 pairs of ribs. The first seven pairs are attached directly to the sternum by costal cartilages and are called true ribs. The 8th, 9th, and 10th pairs—false ribs—do not join the sternum…