The Big Picture
The abdomen is divided into four named areas called quadrants. These areas help describe where body structures, pain, or discomfort are located.
Each quadrant has a name and an abbreviation . Learning both will help you recognize the four abdominal areas.
Quick tip: Tap, click, or press Enter on any term with a dotted underline and an ⓘ icon to see its plain-English definition.
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Course Notes: Key Ideas You Need to Know
Why the Abdomen Is Divided Into Regions
Dividing the abdomen into regions helps describe the location of:
- body structures
- pain
- discomfort
The Four Abdominal Quadrants
The abdomen has four quadrants:
| Quadrant | Abbreviation |
|---|---|
| Right upper quadrant | RUQ |
| Left upper quadrant | LUQ |
| Right lower quadrant | RLQ |
| Left lower quadrant | LLQ |
The words right, left, upper, and lower identify each quadrant’s location.
Fast Review
Focus on the names and abbreviations of the four abdominal quadrants.
- RUQ means right upper quadrant.
- LUQ means left upper quadrant.
- RLQ means right lower quadrant.
- LLQ means left lower quadrant.
- Abdominal regions help describe the location of body structures, pain, or discomfort.
Final Pep Talk
If the four abbreviations start to blur together, review each full name beside its abbreviation. Separating right from left and upper from lower gives you a simple way to study them.