Chapter 1 - Atlas A.3 - Study Guide - Assess Your Learning Outcomes - Page 38: 5

The abdominopelvic cavity is a single large cavity within the body that is often divided into two subdivisions: the abdominal cavity and the pelvic cavity. 1. **Abdominal Cavity**: - Location: The abdominal cavity is the upper subdivision and is located above the pelvic bones. - Skeletal Landmark: The skeletal landmark that separates the abdominal cavity from the pelvic cavity is the pelvic brim or pelvic inlet. This bony structure forms the superior boundary of the pelvic cavity. 2. **Pelvic Cavity**: - Location: The pelvic cavity is the lower subdivision and is located below the pelvic bones. - Skeletal Landmark: The pelvic brim or pelvic inlet, as mentioned earlier, also serves as the boundary between the abdominal and pelvic cavities. Additionally, the pelvic cavity is further enclosed by the bones of the pelvic girdle, including the sacrum and coccyx posteriorly, and the hip bones (ilium, ischium, and pubis) laterally and anteriorly. These two subdivisions house various organs and structures: - The abdominal cavity contains organs like the stomach, liver, spleen, pancreas, small intestine, and most of the large intestine. - The pelvic cavity contains structures such as the bladder, reproductive organs (e.g., uterus and ovaries in females, and the prostate gland in males), and the lower part of the large intestine (rectum and part of the sigmoid colon). This division helps in anatomical and clinical descriptions and provides a framework for understanding the location of internal organs in the abdominal and pelvic regions of the body.

The abdominopelvic cavity is a single large cavity within the body that is often divided into two subdivisions: the abdominal cavity and the pelvic cavity. 1. **Abdominal Cavity**: - Location: The abdominal cavity is the upper subdivision and is located above the pelvic bones. - Skeletal Landmark: The skeletal landmark that separates the abdominal cavity from the pelvic cavity is the pelvic brim or pelvic inlet. This bony structure forms the superior boundary of the pelvic cavity. 2. **Pelvic Cavity**: - Location: The pelvic cavity is the lower subdivision and is located below the pelvic bones. - Skeletal Landmark: The pelvic brim or pelvic inlet, as mentioned earlier, also serves as the boundary between the abdominal and pelvic cavities. Additionally, the pelvic cavity is further enclosed by the bones of the pelvic girdle, including the sacrum and coccyx posteriorly, and the hip bones (ilium, ischium, and pubis) laterally and anteriorly. These two subdivisions house various organs and structures: - The abdominal cavity contains organs like the stomach, liver, spleen, pancreas, small intestine, and most of the large intestine. - The pelvic cavity contains structures such as the bladder, reproductive organs (e.g., uterus and ovaries in females, and the prostate gland in males), and the lower part of the large intestine (rectum and part of the sigmoid colon). This division helps in anatomical and clinical descriptions and provides a framework for understanding the location of internal organs in the abdominal and pelvic regions of the body.