Abdominal Quadrants and Regions

Question 1

What are the 4 quadrants of the abdomen?

Answer 1

Right upper quadrant (RUQ)
Right lower quadrant (RLQ)
Left upper quadrant (LUQ)
Left lower quadrant (LLQ)

Question 2

What are the dividing lines that demarcate the quadrants of the abdomen?

Answer 2

2 dividing lines:
A line through the umbilicus at level L3-4 IVD creates the horizontal / transumbilical plane

A line through the umbilicus at midline creates the vertical / median plane

Question 3

Which organs are located in the right upper quadrant?

Answer 3

Liver (right lobe)
Gallbladder
Stomach (pylorus)
Small intestine (D1-3 duodenum)
Pancreas (head)
Right adrenal gland
Right kidney
Large intestine (superior part of ascending colon, right hepatic flexure, right half of transverse colon)

Question 4

What organs are located in the left upper quadrant?

Answer 4

Liver (left lobe)
Spleen
Stomach
Small intestine (jujenum and proximal ileum)
Pancreas (body and tail)
Left adrenal gland
Left kidney
Large intestine (left half of transverse colon, left colic  splenic flexure, superior half of descending colon)

Question 5

What organs are located in the right lower quadrant?

Answer 5

Caecum
Appendix
Small intestine (most of ilium)
Large intestine (inferior part of ascending colon)
Right ovary and uterine tube (female)
Right spermatic cord (abdominal part -male)
Right ureter (abdominal part)
Uterus if enlarged
Bladder if very full

Question 6

What organs are located in the left lower quadrant?

Answer 6

Sigmoid colon
Large intestine (lower half of descending colon)
Left ovary and uterine tube (female)
Left spermatic cord (abdominal part - male)
Left ureter (abdominal part)
Uterus if enlarged
Bladder if very full

Question 7

In which quadrants is the stomach located?

Answer 7

Right upper quadrant - pylorus

Left upper quadrant - rest of stomach

Question 8

In which quadrants is the pancreas located?

Answer 8

Right upper quadrant - head

Left upper quadrant - body and tail

Question 9

In which quadrants is the small intestine located?

Answer 9

Right upper quadrant - D1-3
Left upper quadrant: Jujenum, proximal ileum
Right lower qudrant: most of ileum

Question 10

What are the 9 regions of the abdomen?

Answer 10

Upper:

• right hypochondriac
• epigastric
• left hypochondriac

Middle

• right lumbar / flank
• umbilical
• left lumbar / flank

Lower:

• right iliac
• hypogstric
• left iliac

Question 11

What are the lines that demarcate the 9 regions of the abdomen?

Answer 11

4 lines:
Midclavicular (left and right)
Subcostal (inferior borders of 10th costal cartilages)
Transtubercular (iliac tubercles at level of L5, 5cm posterior to ASIS)