The importance of cross-sectional anatomy
Successive authors of atlases on sectional anatomy have emphasized the value to the anatomist and the surgeon of being able to view the body in this dimension. It is always difficult to consider three dimensions in the mind’s eye; to be able to view the relationships of the viscera and fascial planes in transverse and vertical section helps to clarify the conventional appearances of the body’s structure as seen in the operating theatre, in the dissecting room and in the textbook.
The introduction of modern imaging techniques, especially ultrasound, computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), has enormously expanded the already considerable importance of sectional anatomy. The radiologist, neurologist, internist, chest physician and oncologist, as well as specialists in the various fields of surgery, have had to re-educate themselves in the appearances and relationships of anatomical structures in transverse and vertical section. Indeed, precise diagnosis, as well as the detailed planning of therapy (for example, the ablative surgery of extensive cancer) and of interventional radiology, often depends on the cross-sectional anatomical approach.