Which organ is located in the left upper quadrant (LUQ) of the abdomen?

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Multiple Choice

Which organ is located in the left upper quadrant (LUQ) of the abdomen?

In the left upper quadrant, the spleen is the defining organ, tucked under the left rib cage and against the stomach and tail of the pancreas. It’s the classic structure associated with that quadrant. The liver is mainly on the right, with only a portion of its left lobe reaching the LUQ; the gallbladder sits under the liver in the right upper quadrant; and while the stomach does extend into the LUQ, the spleen is the most characteristic LUQ organ.

In the left upper quadrant, the spleen is the defining organ, tucked under the left rib cage and against the stomach and tail of the pancreas. It’s the classic structure associated with that quadrant. The liver is mainly on the right, with only a portion of its left lobe reaching the LUQ; the gallbladder sits under the liver in the right upper quadrant; and while the stomach does extend into the LUQ, the spleen is the most characteristic LUQ organ.

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