Head And Neck Model, Horizontal Shears

Quick Answer: The head and neck model, horizontal shears, is a head and neck cross-section model: the head and upper neck are divided into horizontal slices, and ‘shears’ in the listing most likely means sections. Each slice shows the brain, eyes, sinuses, mouth, airway or neck structures at one level, the axial view used in CT and MRI.

Reading the Head Level by Level

Axial anatomy of the head is hard to learn from ordinary models, because the brain, orbits, sinuses and airway overlap when seen from the side. A horizontally sectioned model lets students lift the slices apart and see what lies at each level. Upper slices cross the cerebral hemispheres and lateral ventricles; lower ones pass through the orbits with the eyeballs and optic nerves, then the nasal cavity and maxillary sinuses, the tongue and oral cavity, and finally the larynx, thyroid gland and cervical vertebrae.

This is the plane a radiography or radiology student sees on a CT or MRI of the head and neck, so matching a physical slice to a scan builds the habit of reading grey-scale images in three dimensions. Students can trace the carotid arteries and internal jugular veins down through successive neck slices and see the airway narrow at the larynx.

The title does not say how many slices there are, where the cuts fall or whether the slices sit on a rod or stand. For cross-sections below the neck, the horizontally sectioned torso in the same range continues the series.

Specifications

Care & Handling

• Lay separated slices of the head and neck cross-section model on a padded tray, kept in order from top to bottom.
• Handle each slice by its edges; the cut faces carry the painted detail and scratch easily.
• Reassemble the model completely before storing so no slice is lost or stacked out of sequence.

Applications

• Radiography and radiology teaching on axial head and neck anatomy
• Medical and dental anatomy sessions on the relations of the orbit, sinuses and oral cavity
• Tracing the carotid sheath and airway through the neck slice by slice
• Comparing a physical section with a CT image of the same level

Why Choose LabEquip

Radiography programmes and medical colleges typically buy a sectioned head to bridge the gap between gross anatomy and scan reading. LabEquip lists it among its anatomy models; ask about slice levels through the contact page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the model called horizontal shears?

It most likely refers to horizontal sections or slices. The head and neck are cut across into layers, so each piece shows the anatomy at one level, in the same plane as an axial CT or MRI image.

What is the axial plane?

The axial or transverse plane divides the body into upper and lower parts. CT scanners and most MRI sequences display the head in this plane, and by convention each image is seen from below, so the left side of the picture is the patient’s right.

What does a slice through the eyes show?

A cut through the orbits shows the eyeballs with their lenses, the optic nerves running back towards the optic canals, the ethmoid air cells between the orbits and the temporal lobes of the brain behind and to the sides.

Where do the carotid arteries lie in a neck section?

On each side the common carotid artery lies within the carotid sheath, with the internal jugular vein lateral to it and the vagus nerve between and behind them. The sheath sits beside the thyroid gland, trachea and larynx.

Why learn cross-sections on a model rather than only on scans?

A model shows true colours and clear borders, and slices can be picked up and compared. Once students know what each structure looks like physically, recognising it in the grey tones of a scan becomes easier.

Is this model suitable for school biology?

It is aimed mainly at college, medical and radiography courses. For school lessons on the brain or sense organs, whole-organ models are usually easier to follow.

Last Updated: September 2026