Transverse section

a cross section obtained by slicing, actually or through imaging techniques, the body or any part of the body structure, in a horizontal plane, i.e., a plane that intersects the longitudinal axis at a right angle. Because actual sectioning in the transverse plane results in inferior and superior portions, an anatomic transverse section may be a two-dimensional view of the cut surface on the inferior aspect of the superior portion, or of the superior aspect of the inferior portion. By convention, in medical imaging transverse sections usually demonstrate the former. SYN: axial section.

A transverse section, also known as a cross-section, is a cut or slice made through an object or structure perpendicular to its long axis or plane. In other words, it is a section that divides the object or structure into upper and lower portions.

In anatomy, transverse sections are commonly used to study the internal structures of the body. For example, a transverse section of the brain would be a slice made through the brain tissue perpendicular to its long axis, providing a view of the internal structures such as the cortex, basal ganglia, and brainstem.

In engineering, transverse sections are often used to study the internal structure of materials. For example, a transverse section of a metal rod would be a slice made perpendicular to its long axis, revealing the internal grain structure of the metal.

Transverse sections can be obtained through various methods, such as slicing with a knife, microtome, or laser, or by using imaging techniques such as computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).