Lecture Notes: Abdominal Regions and Quadrants

Introduction

• Importance in healthcare professions (e.g., nursing)
• Used for abdominal assessments and documentation

Four Quadrants

• Created by intersecting planes:
  • Horizontal plane: Transumbilical plane
  • Median plane
• Quadrants:
  • Right Upper Quadrant (RUQ)
  • Right Lower Quadrant (RLQ)
  • Left Upper Quadrant (LUQ)
  • Left Lower Quadrant (LLQ)
• Key Points:
  • Navel (belly button) as the major landmark
  • Orientation: Right and left from anatomical position (can appear flipped)

Major Organs in the Quadrants

• Right Upper Quadrant (RUQ):
  • Liver, stomach, gallbladder, duodenum, right kidney, pancreas, right adrenal gland
• Left Upper Quadrant (LUQ):
  • Liver, stomach, pancreas, left kidney, spleen, left adrenal gland
• Right Lower Quadrant (RLQ):
  • Appendix, reproductive organs, right ureter
• Left Lower Quadrant (LLQ):
  • Left ureter, reproductive organs
• All quadrants: Portions of the small and large intestines

Nine Abdominal Regions

• Divides abdomen into smaller sections
• Planes used:
  • Two parasagittal planes (midclavicular planes)
  • Two horizontal/transverse planes
    • Superior: Subcostal plane
    • Inferior: Intertubercular plane

Right and Left Columns

• Hypochondriac:
  • "Hypo" = Below/under, "Chondriac" = Cartilage of ribs
• Lumbar:
  • Near lumbar vertebrae in the lower back
• Iliac:
  • Near iliac crest of hip bone

Center Column

• Epigastric:
  • "Epi" = Above, "Gastric" = Stomach
• Umbilical:
  • Contains navel/umbilicus
• Hypogastric:
  • "Hypo" = Below, "Gastric" = Stomach

Memory Aid

• Columns:
  • Side columns: Hypochondriac, Lumbar, Iliac (H, L, I)
  • Center: Epigastric, Umbilical, Hypogastric (E, U, H)
  • Sentence: "Hector loves Isabel every unceasing hour"

Major Organs in the Nine Regions

• Right Hypochondriac Region:
  • Liver, gallbladder, right kidney, portions of intestines
• Epigastric Region:
  • Liver, stomach, pancreas, duodenum, spleen, adrenal glands
• Left Hypochondriac Region:
  • Spleen, intestines, left kidney, pancreas, stomach, liver tip
• Right Lumbar Region:
  • Ascending colon, small intestine, right kidney
• Umbilical Region:
  • Duodenum, small intestine, transverse colon
• Left Lumbar Region:
  • Descending colon, small intestine, left kidney
• Right Iliac Region:
  • Appendix, cecum, ascending colon, small intestine
• Hypogastric Region:
  • Bladder, sigmoid colon, small intestine, reproductive organs
• Left Iliac Region:
  • Sigmoid colon, descending colon, small intestine

Additional Resources

• Free quiz available in the description
• Anatomy and physiology playlist on YouTube
• Encourage subscription for more content