Body Regions

For orientation, the abdomen can be divided by imaginary lines into nine regions, which are shown in Figure 2.

The sections down the midline are:

• the epigastric region, located above the stomach;

• the umbilical region, named for the umbilicus, or navel;

• the hypogastric region, located below the stomach.

The lateral regions are:

• the right and left hypochondriac regions, named for their position near the ribs, specifically near the cartilages of the ribs;

• the right and left lumbar regions, which are located near the small of the back (the lumbar region of the spine);

• the right and left iliac regions, named for the upper bone of the hip, the ilium. These regions are also called the inguinal regions, with reference to the groin.

Figure 2. Nine regions of the body

The principal parts of the human body are: the head, the neck, the trunk and the limbs (extremities).

Head

The brain is inside the head, which is responsible for thinking. It has the cranial and facial parts. The top of the scalp is covered with hair. There is the forehead beneath the hairline at the front of the face. Underneath the forehead we can find the eyes for seeing, the nose for smelling, and the mouth for eating. The lips are on the outside of the mouth, and on the inside of the mouth there are the teeth for biting and the tongue for tasting. Food is swallowed down the throat. At the sides of the face there are the cheeks and at the sides of the head there are the ears for hearing. The chin is at the bottom of the face. The jaw is located on the inside of the cheeks and chin.

Neck

The neck is what attaches the head to the upper body. It contains the cervical vertebrae, the pharynx, the larynx and important vessels and nerves.