When studying the body’s anatomy and physiology, you can’t miss the abdominal quadrants of the body. If you aspire to be a healthcare professional in the future, this is a topic you must learn.
For instance, when nurses perform abdominal inspection and assessment, the abdominal region is divided into four quadrants and nine regions.
For aspiring nurses and other healthcare professionals, listen up. Communication and documentation with the medical team require the knowledge of the abdominal quadrants. So this is a MUST-learn topic.
This article will discuss the four abdominal quadrants, nine abdominal regions, and the organs located in the area.
What Are The Four Abdominal Quadrants?
First, visualize an imaginary line, make a cross using the belly button as the “landmark.” This divides the abdomen into four quadrants.
The transverse plane, others call it a transumbilical plane, divides the lower and upper quadrants. The median plane, also known as the midsagittal plane, divides the left and right quadrant.
This will give you the four quadrants:
- Right Upper Quadrant (RUQ)
- Right Lower Quadrant (RLQ)
- Left Upper Quadrant (LUQ)
- Left Lower Quadrant (LLQ)
Always remember that the “left and right” anatomical perspective is that of the patient’s, not yours. It is not the perspective of the healthcare professional. This should not be mixed up as it may lead to a misdiagnosed disease. Or worse, potential complications on the patient.
The Major Organs in the Abdominal Quadrants
Now that you know the four abdominal quadrants, it is time to learn the organs located in the area. Why is this important? Pain in a specific region is indicative of an underlying disease. Any signs and symptoms arising from the abdominal quadrants can save your patient’s life.
Imagine this table as the four abdominal quadrants. Organs may overlap the four quadrants. For instance, the large and small intestines are located on all four quadrants.
RIGHT UPPER QUADRANT (RUQ)
|
LEFT UPPER QUADRANT (LUQ)
|
RIGHT LOWER QUADRANT (RLQ)
|
LEFT LOWER QUADRANT (LLQ)
|
Here’s one of QD Nurses’ most shared pins on Pinterest. It’s been seen and share over 1,017,800 times highlighting this very topic.
What are The Nine Abdominal Regions?
Aside from the four abdominal quadrants, there are more detailed sections. These are the nine abdominal regions.
Draw two imaginary parasagittal planes, trace an imaginary line in between the clavicles. This is also known as the midclavicular bones. Then another two imaginary horizontal planes (also known as the transverse planes).
It is also vital to remember prefixes and suffixes in the medical field. This saves you time in memorizing once you understand the prefix and suffixes. It also helps if you know the muscles or bones of the body.
In anatomy and physiology it is easy to remember body parts when you’re familiar with organs, bones or muscles in a specific region. There will be a slight change in the prefix and suffix. Like in the nine abdominal regions, these are named after the nearest bones in the region.
To understand more, here is Table 1 divided into nine parts. Imagine the abdominal area divided into these nine regions. Table 2 is a summarized description, derivation, and organs involved in the particular region.
Table 1: Anatomical Position of the Nine Abdominal Regions
| RIGHT HYPOCHONDRIAC REGION | EPIGASTRIC REGION | LEFT HYPOCHONDRIAC REGION |
| RIGHT LUMBAR REGION | UMBILICAL REGION | LEFT LUMBAR REGION |
| RIGHT ILIAC REGION | RIGHT ILIAC REGION | LEFT ILIAC REGION |
Table 2: Summary of Definitions, Derivation and Organs involved in the Nine Abdominal Regions.
| Abdominal Region | Prefix / Suffix / Derivation | Definition | Organs Involved |
| RIGHT HYPOCHONDRIAC REGION | Hypo – below
Chondriac – cartilage of ribs |
Right portion below the rib cartilage | – Liver
– Gallbladder – Right Kidney – Portions of the small and large intestine |
| EPIGASTRIC REGION | Epi – Over, above
Gastric – stomach, belly |
Above the stomach | – Liver
– Stomach – Pancreas – Duodenum – Spleen – Adrenal Glands |
| LEFT HYPOCHONDRIAC REGION | Hypo – below
Chondriac – cartilage of ribs |
Left portion below the rib cartilage | – Spleen
– Portions of the small and large intestine – Left Kidney – Pancreas – Stomach – Tip of the Liver |
| RIGHT LUMBAR REGION | Derived from Lumbar bone located at the lower back | Right Lumbar vertebrae | – Ascending Colon
– Small Intestine – Right Kidney |
| UMBILICAL REGION | Umbilicus – navel | Belly Button Area | – Duodenum
– Small Intestine – Transverse Colon |
| LEFT LUMBAR REGION | Derived from Lumbar bone located at the lower back | Left Lumbar vertebrae | – Descending Colon
– Small Intestine – Left Kidney |
| RIGHT ILIAC REGION | Right iliac crest on hip bone | – Appendix
– Cecum – Ascending Colon – Small Intestine |
|
| HYPOGASTRIC REGION | Hypo – below
Gastric – stomach, belly |
Below the stomach | – Bladder
– parts of the Sigmoid Colon – Small Intestines – Portions of the Reproductive Organ |
| LEFT ILIAC REGION | Left iliac crest on hip bone | – Portions of the sigmoid colon, descending colon,and small intestine |
Other essential tips and terms to remember:
- Subcostal Plane – the superior transverse plane located below the ribs; the line between the hypochondriac and lumbar region
- Intertubercular Plane – the inferior transverse plane; it intersects the pelvis’ tubercles; inferior to the navel; separates the lumbar and iliac region
- In order to survive nursing or medical school, acronyms are your best friend. To easily remember the nine abdominal regions, remember: Hector Loves Isabel Every Unceasing Hour.
- For the left and right outer regions: H – Hypochondriac, L – Lumbar, I – Iliac
- Middle Regions: E – Epigastric, U- Umbilical, H- Hypogastric
Remember this acronym, and it will save you in lots of practical and written exams.
Why is it important to know the Four Abdominal Quadrants and Nine Abdominal Regions?
Healthcare professionals, especially nurses, conduct a complete physical assessment. Four techniques are used to assess the abdomen. These are; Inspection, Auscultation, Palpation, and Percussion.
It is important to familiarize yourself with the quadrants in order to help in the differential diagnosis. One good example is diagnosing acute appendicitis.
If a patient has suspected appendicitis, the first thing that comes to mind is to solicit McBurney’s sign. The patient will describe epigastric pain, migrating to the Right Lower Quadrant.
If you have no idea of the location of the abdominal quadrants, diagnosing appendicitis is impossible. What will happen to the patient if appendicitis is not diagnosed sooner? The appendix may rupture and lead to sepsis.
Can sepsis cause death? Yes, it can! It could have been a simple case of appendicitis and is easily treatable.
Knowing the four abdominal regions and nine abdominal quadrants well can definitely help save lives.
