(lin'ē-ă , lin'ē-ē‵)

Plural: lineae

[L. linea, line]

An anatomical line.

l. alba 1A midline stripe of connective tissue in the abdominal wall from sternum to pubis; the white line. It is the raphe of the transverse tendons of the abdominal oblique and abdominal transverse muscles where they meet and interweave along the midline of the rectus abdominis muscle. The linea alba can be seen as a shallow midline groove along the abdominal skin of a lean muscular person, esp. above the level of the umbilicus. A digital exam can palpate the lower end of the internal anal sphincter at the level of the white line.2A raised white line on the buccal mucosa along the occlusal plane, often caused by clenching the teeth. No treatment is necessary.

lineae albicantes Lines seen on the abdomen, buttocks, and breasts, frequently caused by pregnancy, obesity, or prolonged adrenal cortical hormone therapy but may occur as the result of abdominal distention from any cause.

l. aspera A thick longitudinal ridge on the posterior surface of the middle third of the femur. Tendons of the aductor longus and biceps femoris muscles attach along this ridge.

l. costoarticularis A line between the sternoclavicular articulation and the point of the 11th rib.

l. nigra A dark line or discoloration of the abdomen that may be seen in pregnant women during the latter part of term. It runs from above the umbilicus to the pubes.

l. semilunaris A gently curving groove in the abdominal skin of a lean, muscular person along the right and the left edges of the rectus abdominis muscle; the semilunar line.

l. splendens A thickening of the pia mater extending along the anterior median surface of the spinal cord.

l. sternalis The median line of the sternum.

l. striae atrophicae Stria atrophica.

l. terminalis 1Pelvic brim.2The portion of the pelvic brim that does not include the sacral promintory.

l. transversae ossis sacri Ridges formed by lines of union of the five sacral vertebrae.