Which plane are CT slices typically acquired in?

CT slices are typically acquired in the transverse plane, also known as the axial plane. This means that the slices are obtained from a viewpoint looking up from the feet towards the head of the patient, or vice versa. The transverse plane allows for a cross-sectional view of the body, which is particularly useful for identifying and diagnosing various medical conditions across multiple organ systems. This perspective offers valuable three-dimensional information by stacking these images, enabling clinicians to analyze the anatomy in detail.

In contrast, the frontal plane (or coronal plane) represents slices made from a front view of the body, and while it can be useful for certain imaging scenarios, CT imaging is predominantly performed in the transverse plane. The sagittal plane provides a side view of the body, allowing visualization of the left and right structures, but this is not the primary plane for CT slice acquisition. Lastly, the oblique plane refers to any plane that is not perfectly aligned with the standard anatomical planes and can be useful in specific cases, yet is not the typical approach for standard CT imaging.