# Clipping a 3D model using anatomical planes in Slicer 5.8

**URL:** <https://discourse.slicer.org/t/clipping-a-3d-model-using-anatomical-planes-in-slicer-5-8/44961>\
**Category:** Support\
**Created:** [November 4, 2025, 3:05pm UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/clipping-a-3d-model-using-anatomical-planes-in-slicer-5-8/44961 "2025-11-04T15:05:17Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 8\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Eva\_Monclus\_Lahoya](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.slicer.org/eva_monclus_lahoya/32/80854_2.png) [@Eva\_Monclus\_Lahoya](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/Eva_Monclus_Lahoya)\
**Post date:** [November 4, 2025, 3:05pm UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/clipping-a-3d-model-using-anatomical-planes-in-slicer-5-8/44961/1 "2025-11-04T15:05:17Z")

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In previous versions of 3D Slicer, the **Models** module allowed clipping a model using the anatomical slice planes (axial, coronal, and sagittal).

In version 5.8, I can’t find the same “Clip model by slice planes” option. What is the new workflow to achieve this behavior?

Specifically, I’d like to clip a surface model using the Red/Yellow/Green slice planes in the 3D view, just as before.

Thanks in advance for any guidance!

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**Author:** ![cpinter](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.slicer.org/cpinter/32/7995_2.png) [@cpinter](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/cpinter)\
**Post date:** [November 4, 2025, 3:15pm UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/clipping-a-3d-model-using-anatomical-planes-in-slicer-5-8/44961/2 "2025-11-04T15:15:34Z")

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You can still do clipping, please see this screenshot (I used the latest 5.9)

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/slicer/original/3X/5/5/556f1de3363958e241e1fb5fca7976360543c4e2.jpeg)

@Sunderlandkyl @lassoan Shouldn’t we remove these controls? They don’t seem to do anything (UPDATE: They don’t until you configure it below, then the checkbox seems to be a duplicate of the one in the Clipping section. Even the “Configure…” button did not seem to do anything, I guess it opened the section below but it was not visible. It is at least confusing…)

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/slicer/original/3X/d/5/d5eb21b77f76eba8264629581aa55f08911120b7.png)

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**Author:** ![Eva\_Monclus\_Lahoya](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.slicer.org/eva_monclus_lahoya/32/80854_2.png) [@Eva\_Monclus\_Lahoya](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/Eva_Monclus_Lahoya)\
**Post date:** [November 7, 2025, 12:13am UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/clipping-a-3d-model-using-anatomical-planes-in-slicer-5-8/44961/3 "2025-11-07T00:13:47Z")

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Thanks a lot for your quick reply. However, I’m not sure how to include the “Red,” “Green,” or “Yellow” objects in the clipping list. I can only select from the different 3D meshes available in my scene. I’ve attached a screenshot to help clarify the issue.

 ![Captura de pantalla 2025-11-07 010758](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/slicer/original/3X/f/0/f08706c111f64ded0db8a9de290b7dec317623dc.jpeg)

You can download the scene I’m using from the link below.

[https://www.slicer.org/w/img\_auth.php/c/c4/Slicer4minute.zip](https://www.slicer.org/w/img_auth.php/c/c4/Slicer4minute.zip)

Thanks in advance for any guidance!

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**Author:** ![ffr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d07c76/32.png) [@ffr](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/ffr)\
**Post date:** [April 12, 2026, 3:07am UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/clipping-a-3d-model-using-anatomical-planes-in-slicer-5-8/44961/4 "2026-04-12T03:07:05Z")

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Slicer 5.10 has the same issue. The clipping planes section is no longer available. Instead, there is a clipping section in the Models module, but it does not seem to function well. If I choose “ClipModelsParameter1,” the clipping works for the coronal plane, but that’s it. I cannot figure out how to clip using the axial or sagittal plane.

It also seems like there is no way to edit the “ClipModelsParameter1” clip node. If I delete it and create a new clip node, the clipping function stops working, and I have to restart Slicer to get that node back.

 ![Screenshot 2026-04-11 195926](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/slicer/original/3X/6/9/69b9527bfba8e6fc476c3d6a0955779f5dd213a5.png)

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**Author:** ![pieper](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.slicer.org/pieper/32/8_2.png) [@pieper](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/pieper)\
**Post date:** [April 12, 2026, 6:29pm UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/clipping-a-3d-model-using-anatomical-planes-in-slicer-5-8/44961/5 "2026-04-12T18:29:46Z")

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You need to make sure you have a corresponding volume loaded for the slice planes to work. The color names correspond to the 2D slice views. The new clipping interface is different and much more powerful now, but I agree it’s a little harder to figure out.

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**Author:** ![ffr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d07c76/32.png) [@ffr](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/ffr)\
**Post date:** [April 13, 2026, 7:39am UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/clipping-a-3d-model-using-anatomical-planes-in-slicer-5-8/44961/6 "2026-04-13T07:39:43Z")

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Thank you for your reply. May I ask if there are any tutorials on how to use it? I’ve attached a short video showing how I’ve been using it. So far, I’ve only been able to get coronal clipping to work, but I’m not sure how to edit the clip node. When I edit the clip node, it stops working even if I revert the changes.

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**Author:** ![pieper](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/user_avatar/discourse.slicer.org/pieper/32/8_2.png) [@pieper](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/pieper)\
**Post date:** [April 13, 2026, 4:07pm UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/clipping-a-3d-model-using-anatomical-planes-in-slicer-5-8/44961/7 "2026-04-13T16:07:05Z")

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The menu should look like this:

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/slicer/original/3X/1/4/14fe1ec786c667b389fdbcb044926ea4409e4284.png)

This is 5.10.0 for me.

The problem may be that you are using a very old scene file. Try loading new data.

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**Author:** ![ffr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d07c76/32.png) [@ffr](https://discourse.slicer.org/u/ffr)\
**Post date:** [April 13, 2026, 4:37pm UTC](https://discourse.slicer.org/t/clipping-a-3d-model-using-anatomical-planes-in-slicer-5-8/44961/8 "2026-04-13T16:37:22Z")

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Thank you so much! You are right, the scene file causes the issue.