Intertubercular plane

The intertubercular plane refers to a horizontal (or transverse) plane which connects the tubercles of iliac crests–of the right and left pelvic bones–with each other. The tubercles are palpable bony protuberances on the iliac crests, about 5 cm posterior to the anterior superior iliac spines. Posteriorly, the intertubercular plane lies at the level of the upper border of fifth lumbar vertebrae (L5).

Please note that our abdomen is artificially divided into nine regions by imaginary planes. These include two horizontal (upper and lower) and two sagittal (right and left) planes. Of the horizontal planes the lower transverse plane is formed by the intertubercular plane, while the upper horizontal plane is formed by either the subcostal or the transpyloric plane. The two sagittal planes extend vertically on right and left sides, connecting the mid-clavicular point with the middle of the inguinal ligament on either side. This regional division of abdomen makes it convenient to describe the location of viscera and the pathological lesions associated with them.

Of the nine abdominal regions, the three in the midline include the epigastric, umbilical and hypogastric (or suprapubic) regions. Epigastric is bounded on either sides by right and left hypochondrium. The umbilical is sandwiched between the right and left flank regions. Lastly, the suprapubic region is surrounded by groin or inguinal regions on its right and left sides.