Handbook of MRI Technique. Catherine Westbrook

parallel to rectus muscles and parallel to optic nerve (single orbit) left to right lateral walls of bony orbit or entire brain (optic neuritis) foramen magnum to vertex and from occipital to the frontal lobe Axial perpendicular to falx cerebri (in true plane or orientated to optic nerve) inferior margin to above superior margin of orbits lens of eye, globe, optic nerves and chiasm Coronal perpendicular to optic nerve optic chiasm to lens of the orbit left and right lateral walls of the orbit Paranasal sinuses Sagittal perpendicular to hard palate through paranasal sinuses foramen magnum to vertex Axial perpendicular to nasal septum inferior border of maxillary sinuses to superior edge of frontal sinuses sphenoid sinus, tip of nose and lateral borders of all paranasal sinuses Coronal perpendicular to hard palate posterior portion of sphenoid sinus to tip of nose inferior margin of maxillary sinuses to superior border of frontal sinuses Pharynx Sagittal parallel to cervical spine left to right lateral walls of pharynx skull base to thyroid cartilage Axial perpendicular to cervical spine thyroid cartilage to base of skull soft tissues of neck Coronal parallel to cervical spine posterior border of cervical cord to anterior surface of neck skull base to sternoclavicular joints Larynx Sagittal parallel to cervical spine left to right skin surfaces of the neck superior border of hard palate to sternoclavicular joints Axial parallel to vocal cords through laryngeal cartilages and vocal cords both lateral skin surfaces of the neck Coronal perpendicular to vocal cords posterior surface of trachea to anterior surface of neck superior border hard palate to sternoclavicular joints Thyroid/parathyroid Axial perpendicular to cervical spine through thyroid both lateral skin surfaces of neck Coronal parallel to cervical spine through thyroid mandible to arch of the aorta Salivary glands Sagittal parallel to cervical spine left to right skin surfaces of the neck base of the skull to hyoid bone Axial perpendicular to cervical spine from superior aspect of EAM to angle of jaw or through submandibular glands all skin surfaces of neck Coronal perpendicular to hard palate and nasal septum vertebral bodies to superior alveolar process cervical lymph node chain and skull base TMJs Sagittal perpendicular to mandibular condyles and parallel to long axis of mandibular condyle through each TMJ both TMJs Axial orthogonal through both TMJs both TMJs Coronal parallel to mandibular condyles through both TMJs both TMJs Cervical spine Sagittal parallel to long axis of spinal cord from left to right lateral borders of vertebral bodies base of skull to T2 Axial perpendicular to spinal cord and either parallel to disc space or perpendicular to lesion lamina below to lamina above disc bony cervical spine and surrounding soft tissue Coronal parallel to long axis of spinal cord posterior aspect of spinous processes to anterior border of vertebral bodies base of skull to T2 and left to right borders of neck Thoracic spine Sagittal parallel to the long axis of the spinal cord from left to right lateral borders of vertebral bodies C7 to conus Axial perpendicular to spinal cord and either parallel to disc space or perpendicular to lesion lamina below to lamina above disc bony thoracic spine and surrounding soft tissue Coronal long axis of spinal cord posterior aspect of spinous processes to anterior border of vertebral bodies C7 to conus Lumbar spine Sagittal parallel to spinal canal left to right lateral borders of vertebral bodies conus to sacrum Axial parallel to each disc space