anatomy unit 1: body cavities

body cavity

the space where he body contains the internal organs. the two main cavities are called the ventral and dorsal cavities.

Thoracic cavity

The upper ventral, thoracic, or chest cavity contains the heart, lungs, trachea, esophagus, large blood vessels, and nerves.

The thoracic cavity is bound laterally by the ribs (covered by costal pleura) and the diaphragm caudally (covered by diaphragmatic pleura).

abdomincal and pelvic cavity

the lower part of the ventral (abdominopelvic) cavity can be further divided into two portions: the abdominal and pelvic portions.

The abdominal cavity contains most of the gastrointestinal tract as well as the kidneys and adrenal glands.The abdominal cavity is bound cranially by the diaphragm, laterally by the body wall, and caudally by the pelvic cavity

The pelvic cavity contains most of the urogenital system as well as the rectum. The pelvic cavity is bounded cranially by the abdominal cavity, dorsally by the sacrum, and laterally by the pelvis.

Dorsal cavity

The smaller of the two main cavities: it contains organs lying more posterior in the body. The dorsal cavity, again, can be divided into two portions. The upper portion, or the cranial cavity, houses the brain, and the lower portion, or vertebral canal houses the spinal cord.