Anatomy and Physiology Diagnostic Imaging Practice Test

The abdominal cavity houses the major digestive organs and several solid organs. It lies below the diaphragm and extends to the pelvic brim, containing organs such as the stomach, small and large intestines, liver, and spleen. The heart and lungs are located in the thoracic cavity, above the diaphragm, so they aren’t part of the abdominal cavity. The kidneys and adrenal glands sit in the abdominal region but behind the peritoneum in the retroperitoneal space, not within the peritoneal cavity itself. Because the stomach, intestines, spleen, and liver are housed inside the abdominal cavity, this set of organs best defines what the abdominal cavity contains.