Anatomy of the abdominopelvic cavity (CT-Scan)

e-Anatomy

Authors

Antoine Micheau, MD , Denis Hoa, MD

Published on

Friday 22 December 2017

Section

Thorax, Abdomen, Pelvis

Anatomical parts

Anatomy of the abdominopelvic cavity (CT-Scan)

We commonly use normal exam of healthy patients to create the anatomical modules of e-anatomy. In this case, we’ve deliberately chosen an abnormal patient with an important peritoneal effusion. This allows to the user to perfectly see the different parts of the peritoneal cavity (omental bursa, paracolic gutters, mesentery, mesocolon…). That’s why this patient also has a hepatocellular carcinoma with cirrhosis, ascites, portal hypertension, portacaval anastomosis and splenomegaly!

Anatomy of the abdominopelvic cavity (CT-Scan): Transverse view

Anatomy atlas of the abdominal, pelvic and peritoneal cavity on Computed Tomography

We performed an enhanced (portal venous phase – 70 seconds) multidetector computed tomography in transverse plane with coronal and sagittal reformatted images.

Data and DICOM images stocked on our PACS (Picture Archiving and Communicating System) were processed and exported as JPEG images. Adobe Flash and Adobe Photoshop allowed us to develop an atlas-based application with suitable functionality and user interface for the study of the abdomen and pelvis anatomy (labelled according to the Terminologia Anatomica).

Anatomy of the abdominopelvic cavity (CT-Scan): Sigmoid mesocolon, Lesser omentum, Greater omentum, Visceral peritoneum

Anatomy of the abdominopelvic cavity (CT-Scan): Coronal view

Anatomy of the abdominopelvic cavity: how to visualize anatomic labels

This tool provides access to a CT atlas in the transverse, coronal and sagittal plane, allowing the user to interactively learn abdominal anatomy. Images are labelled according to the Terminologia Anatomica.

The horizontal menu gives access to the groups of anatomical labels:

Oesophagus
Stomach: different walls, lesser and greater curvature
Small intestine, including duodenum, jejunum and ileum
Large intestine: ascending, transverse and descending colon, sigmoid, rectum
Liver: left and right lobe of liver, diaphragmatic and visceral surfaces, porta hepatis
Bile duct: common hepatic duct, cystic duct, gallbladder
Pancreas: different parts (head, neck and tail), pancreatic duct
Spleen: splenic hilum, diaphragmatic and visceral surfaces
Peritoneum: lesser and greater omentum, transverse and sigmoid mesocolon, mesentery
Recesses, fossae and folds or peritoneal cavity: rectovesical pouch (Douglas), paracolic gutters, omental bursa with omental foramen, subphrenic space.
Urogenital system: kidney (renal cortex and sinus), ureter, urinary bladder, prostate, urethra
Abdominal regions: epigastric region, hypochondrium, groin, inguinal region, umbilic
Bones: spine, costa and pelvic bone
Muscles of the abdominal wall
Arteries of abdomen and pelvis, including inferior and superior mesenteric artery and branches of internal iliac artery.
Veins: portal system with mesenteric and splenic veins, and branches of inferior vena cava
Lymphatic nodes: superior and inferior mesenteric nodes, coeliac nodes, colic nodes
Other structures: heart, lungs.