The human body has several cavities, including the ventral cavity (containing the abdominopelvic and thoracic cavities), the dorsal cavity (covering the back and containing the spinal and cranial cavities), and the pelvic cavity (containing reproductive and waste-related organs). The chest and abdominal cavities are the largest and contain vital organs. The term “body cavity” can also refer to an area being searched for contraband material.
Technically speaking, a body cavity is any space in an organism filled with viscera or fluids. In practice, however, the term is usually used to refer to the space between the skin and the lining of the intestinal cavity. There are many different types of cavities in a human being, but when the phrase is used alone it usually refers to the ventral cavity, which is by far the largest, incorporating both the abdominopelvic and thoracic cavities.
The dorsal cavity is the other large body cavity in a human being, covering the back of the body. This includes both the spinal cavity and the cranial cavity. The spinal cavity, also called the spinal canal, is the space in the center of the vertebrae through which the spinal cord passes. The cranial cavity, also known as the intracranial space, is the space inside the skull. The cranial cavity contains the brain, but also contains the eyes and ear organs.
The ventral cavity, on the front of the body, also contains a number of smaller cavities. The chest cavity is formed by the ribs, which help protect the fragile organs contained within, assisted by various muscles and fascia to form a strong wall. Inside the chest cavity are many of the body’s most recognizable organs. The heart, lungs, bronchi, esophagus, and others all reside in the chest cavity, and penetration of the outer layer can cause serious medical complications. If enough air enters the chest cavity, the lungs can collapse and death can follow.
The chest cavity sits atop the abdominal cavity and is separated from that cavity by the diaphragm. At the top, the chest cavity is bounded by the first ribs on both sides, the spine at the back, and the top of the sternum at the front. The chest cavity is what most people think of when they think of a body cavity.
The abdominal cavity, also contained within the ventral body cavity, is the other major cavity of the human body. It contains most of the other major organs that the chest cavity does not have, including the liver, spleen, gallbladder, kidneys, intestines, pancreas, and stomach, as well as most of the viscera of the body. The abdominal cavity is protected by a layer called the peritoneum, one of the strongest membranes in the body. The abdominal cavity sits on top of the pelvic cavity and forms a larger body with that cavity called the abdominopelvic cavity.
The pelvic cavity contains primarily reproductive and waste-related organs, especially the bladder, rectum, and sex-specific reproductive organs. The pelvic cavity is bounded by the coccyx at the back, the symphysis pubis at the front, and the obturator internus at the sides. The pelvic cavity is the lowest body cavity in the human body and is also one of the most crowded.
Often people use the term body cavity in an informal sense to refer to an area being searched, such as by police officers or airport security. In this sense it refers to the rectum and vagina in women, and only the rectum in men. Searching these areas for contraband material such as drugs is referred to as a body cavity search.
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