PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to provide practical anatomic data for the imaging diagnosis and surgical treatment of the diseases of the subphrenic spaces. METHODS: The sectional anatomy of the subphrenic spaces on the coronal plane was investigated on serial coronal sections of the upper abdomen of 30 Chinese adult cadavers. RESULTS: The space between the anterior margin of gastropancreatic fold and the posterior layer of hepatogastric ligament is the only direct pathway between the superior and inferior recesses of the lesser sac. That pathway can be divided into 3 types on the coronal plane. The right layer of the gastrophrenic ligament is continuous with the posterior layer of the lesser omentum, and its left layer is continuous with the right layer of the phrenosplenic ligament and the posterior layer of the gastrosplenic ligament. The gastropancreatic fold is continued to the left and right layers of the gastrophrenic ligament upwards. The bare area of the stomach is located between the left and right layers of the gastrophrenic ligament; its existing rate is 100%. The bare area of the spleen is located among the phrenosplenic ligament, gastrosplenic ligament, splenorenal ligament, and splenocolic ligament. Its greatest width exists between the two layers of the splenorenal ligament. It can be divided into the splenic hilus and splenorenal parts. CONCLUSION: The coronal section is dominant to show the anatomic relationships of the gastrophrenic ligaments and the gastropancreatic folds, and the bare area of the stomach.
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to provide practical anatomic data for the imaging diagnosis and surgical treatment of the diseases of the subphrenic spaces. METHODS: The sectional anatomy of the subphrenic spaces on the coronal plane was investigated on serial coronal sections of the upper abdomen of 30 Chinese adult cadavers. RESULTS: The space between the anterior margin of gastropancreatic fold and the posterior layer of hepatogastric ligament is the only direct pathway between the superior and inferior recesses of the lesser sac. That pathway can be divided into 3 types on the coronal plane. The right layer of the gastrophrenic ligament is continuous with the posterior layer of the lesser omentum, and its left layer is continuous with the right layer of the phrenosplenic ligament and the posterior layer of the gastrosplenic ligament. The gastropancreatic fold is continued to the left and right layers of the gastrophrenic ligament upwards. The bare area of the stomach is located between the left and right layers of the gastrophrenic ligament; its existing rate is 100%. The bare area of the spleen is located among the phrenosplenic ligament, gastrosplenic ligament, splenorenal ligament, and splenocolic ligament. Its greatest width exists between the two layers of the splenorenal ligament. It can be divided into the splenic hilus and splenorenal parts. CONCLUSION: The coronal section is dominant to show the anatomic relationships of the gastrophrenic ligaments and the gastropancreatic folds, and the bare area of the stomach.