All You Need To Know About Abdominal Quadrants, Regions & Organs

The abdominopelvic cavity has nine regions and four abdominal quadrants. The abdomen is divided into nine regions and four quadrants to describe regional anatomy, organ location, abdominopelvic pain site, tumor, or other abnormality, and organ and tissue involvement in disease or disease-based pain.

Four Abdominal Quadrants and their Organs

The abdomen should be divided into four equal quadrants. Draw two imaginary lines: one vertical through the umbilicus (belly button) and one horizontal across it at waist level. We describe the four quadrants and their organs below.

Each abdominal quadrant has parts of the large and small intestines.

Upper right quadrant

• Duodenum
• Gallbladder
• The liver and pancreas, respectively.
• Right kidney
• The right adrenal gland
• Stomach

 Upper left quadrant

•  Left adrenal
• Left kidney
• The liver and pancreas, respectively.
• The spleen and stomach

 Lower right quadrant

•  Appendix
• Reproductive organs
• The right ureter

Lower left quadrant

•  Left ureter
• Reproductive organs

9 Abdominal Regions

Two parasagittal and two horizontal (transverse) planes divide the abdomen into nine regions.

The regions encompass:

• The location of the hypochondriac region is on the upper abdomen, specifically under the ribs on both the left and right sides.
• The left and right lumbar regions are located adjacent to the waistline, on either side of the umbilical cord.
• The left and right iliac regions are located in the lower abdomen, near the hip bones.
• Epigastric refers to the area located above the stomach and between the hypochondriac regions.
• Located at the midpoint, encircling the umbilicus.
• Below the umbilicus, toward the pubic bone.

9 Abdominal Organs

Let’s examine each region’s major organs. Most basic anatomy professors don’t expect you to memorize a list of organs in each region, but they want you to understand their locations.

• Right Hypochondriac Region: liver, gallbladder, 
• The organs mentioned are the right kidney, small intestine, and large intestine.
• The epigastric region contains the liver, stomach, pancreas, duodenum, spleen, and adrenal glands.
• The organs located in the left hypochondriac region include the spleen, large and small intestines, left kidney, pancreas, stomach, and the tip of the liver.
• In the right lumbar region are the ascending colon, small intestine, and right kidney. In the umbilical region are the duodenum, small intestine, and transverse colon.
• Left Lumbar: The descending colon, small intestine, and left kidney are here.
• The right ileum contains the appendix, cecum, ascending colon, and small intestine. The bladder, sigmoid colon, small intestine, and reproductive organs are in the hypogastric region.
• Left Iliac Region: The sigmoid colon, descending colon, and small intestine are here.

How is Abdominal Pain?

From ribs to pelvis, abdominal pain is discomfort. Abdominal pain is often called “stomach pain” or “stomachache,” but it could be caused by other organs.

Your stomach is located in your abdomen. Your digestive system has these following organs:

• Liver.
• The gallbladder and pancreas.
• Small intestine.
• Large intestine.

Pain can also be in your abdominal wall, the skin, and the muscles that surround your abdomen. Sometimes belly pain comes from your chest, pelvis, or back.

Abdominal pain has following meanings:

• It can feel mild or severe.
• Dull or sharp.
• Burning/aching.
• Colicky.
• Either constant or intermittent.
• Limited to one location or widespread.

Abdominal pain is subjective, and only you perceive it. Your healthcare provider can’t measure it, so you say it. Pain management in Dallas will always treat abdominal pain seriously.

What are Four Abdominal Pain Types?

Since your stomach contains many organs, your doctor may want to narrow down the source of your pain. The abdomen is usually divided into four quadrants by pain physicians in Dallas. They may inquire about pain in:

• Upper/lower part: Upper abdominal pain is above your navel. Below it is lower abdominal pain.
• Right/left: Your sternum to belly button forms your abdominal midline.

Causes of Abdominal Pain

Nearly everyone will experience abdominal pain. Most cases are minor and resolve themselves. However, it may indicate a serious illness or emergency. 5% of ER visits are for abdominal pain. Many things can cause abdominal pain. Knowing when you need immediate medical care is key.  Occasionally, it is necessary to consult a physician solely if your symptoms endure. The subsequent conditions are less severe causes of abdominal pain:

• Difficulty in passing stools
• IBS stands for Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
• Lactose intolerance and allergies
• Gastrointestinal illness caused by consuming contaminated food.
• Gastroenteritis

Additional factors that can contribute to this may include:

• Appendicitis is a medical condition characterized by inflammation of the appendix.
• Abdominal artery aneurysm
• Gastrointestinal obstruction
• Stomach, colon, and other organ cancers
• Inflammation of the gallbladder, with or without gallstones.
• Reduced intestinal blood flow
• Diverticulitis causes colon inflammation and infection.
• Endometriosis
• Indigestion, heartburn, or GERD
• Stuck or twisted intestine hernia
• Crohn’s disease
• A kidney stone
• Muscle strain
• Infection or swelling of the pancreas
• PID (pelvic inflammation)
• Ovarian cyst rupture
• Extreme menstrual cramps
• Ectopic tubal pregnancy
• Ulcers
• Urinary tract infections

Conclusion

Human body has four abdominal quadrants. Healthcare providers learn about your pain to narrow it down. Start by finding the abdominal pain. In addition, they will inquire about the asymmetry, frequency, specific conditions, and the level of quality.