In anatomy and physiology, you’ll learn how to divide the abdomen into nine different regions and four different quadrants. If you plan to enter a healthcare profession such as nursing, this is something you’ll use on the job when performing abdominal assessments (and while documenting). First,
let’s take a look at the four quadrants, which are created by an intersecting horizontal (transverse) plane, also called the transumbilical plane, and a median (midsagittal) plane. The four quadrants are easy to remember because they consist of a left upper quadrant (LUQ), left lower quadrant (LLQ), right upper quadrant (RUQ), and right lower quadrant (RLQ). Here are two important things to remember with these four quadrants:
Major Organs in the Four QuadrantsHere are some of the major organs that you’ll find in each of the four abdominal quadrants:
The Nine Abdominal RegionsThe nine abdominal regions divide the abdomen into even smaller sections by using two parasagittal planes that run down the middle of the clavicle bones (also called midclavicular planes) and two horizontal (transverse) planes. The superior transverse plane is called the subcostal plane, and it is located just below the ribs. The intertubercular plane is the inferior transverse plane, and it intersects the tubercles of the pelvis, running just inferior to the navel. It’s important for you to know the names and locations of these nine regions, so here are some tips for remembering them: First, let’s cover the right and left columns, because they have the same exact name (distinguished by a left or right prefix), and they are named after the bones to which they are nearest. Remember, a huge tip for studying anatomy is to learn common prefixes and suffixes, as they will help you over and over again!
That takes care of the left and right columns. Now let’s look at the abdominal regions in the middle column. Unlike the regions on the left and right side columns, these regions are named after their location relative to the stomach, not the bones.
If you need a quick memory trick to keep these regions straight, remember that for the side columns, the names are the same from top to bottom: Hypochondriac, then Lumbar, and then Iliac (HLI). For the middle column, the regions are Epigastric, then Umbilical, and then Hypogastric (EUH). Remember this phrase: Hector Loves Isabel Every Unceasing Hour. Organs in the Nine Abdominal RegionsNow let’s take a look at some of the major organs that you’ll find in each region. In most basic anatomy courses, professors probably don’t expect you to memorize a list of the organs you’ll find in each region, but try to get a general understanding of where the organs are located.
Ready to test your knowledge? Take our free (and quick!) abdominal regions and quadrants quiz. Also, you might want to watch more of our anatomy and physiology lectures on YouTube, or check our anatomy and physiology notes. What are the 4 abdominal quadrants?The abdomen can also be divided into four quadrants, known as the right upper, the left upper, the right lower, and the left lower quadrants. It is common to see these quadrants abbreviated as RUQ, LUQ, RLQ, and LLQ, respectively.
What are the 9 abdominopelvic quadrants?The nine regions are smaller than the four abdominopelvic quadrants and include the right hypochondriac, right lumbar, right illiac, epigastric, umbilical, hypogastric (or pubic), left hypochondriac, left lumbar, and left illiac divisions.
What are the abdominopelvic regions and quadrants?Abdominopelvic Quadrants:
Right upper quadrant (RUQ) Left upper quadrant (LUQ) Right lower quadrant (RLQ) Left lower quadrant (LLQ)
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