The transverse plane is defined as the horizontal division of the body into which portions?

• A. Upper and lower portions
• B. Front and back portions
• C. Left and right portions
• D. Interior and exterior portions

Answer: (A)

The key idea is how the body is sliced by imaginary planes. The transverse plane is a horizontal cut that separates the body into upper (superior) and lower (inferior) parts. It runs perpendicular to the body's long axis, so in an upright person it creates a top portion and a bottom portion. This is different from the frontal plane, which splits the body into front and back, and the sagittal plane, which splits it into left and right. Interior and exterior aren’t standard terms for describing a plane. So the horizontal division into upper and lower portions is the correct description.