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AnatomyBasicsTerminologyDorsal body cavity
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AnatomyBasicsTerminologyDorsal body cavity

Dorsal body cavity

Author: Edwin Ocran, MBChB, MSc • Reviewer: Dimitrios Mytilinaios, MD, PhD
Last reviewed: March 28, 2024
Reading time: 2 minutes

Recommended video: Cavities of the body [25:33]
Learn here the cavities of the human body.
Dorsal body cavity
Cavitas dorsalis corporis humani
Synonyms: none

The dorsal body cavity is an enclosed internal cavity located on the posterior aspect of the body, which contains and protects the central nervous system.

It is one of two major body cavities, the other being the ventral body cavity which is composed of the thoracic and abdominopelvic cavities.

The dorsal body cavity is subdivided into two main cavities: a cranial cavity and a vertebral canal.

  • The cranial cavity is formed by the neurocranium and contains the brain, which is enveloped in protective meninges and cushioned by cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).
  • The vertebral cavity, more accurately called the vertebral canal, is continuous with the cranial cavity through the foramen magnum of the skull and extends into the vertebral column. The canal is formed by the vertebral foramina of staked vertebrae and houses the spinal cord. Similar to the brain the spinal cord bears meninges and is bathed in CSF.
Terminology English: Dorsal body cavity

Latin: Cavitas dorsalis corporis humani
Definition Enclosed internal body cavity on the posterior aspect of the body
Function Contains and protects the central nervous system

Learn more about the dorsal body cavity in the following study unit:

Cavities of the body Explore study unit

Sources

All content published on Kenhub is reviewed by medical and anatomy experts. The information we provide is grounded on academic literature and peer-reviewed research. Kenhub does not provide medical advice. You can learn more about our content creation and review standards by reading our content quality guidelines.
  • Drake, R., Vogl, W., Mitchell, A. & Gray, H. (2015). Gray's anatomy for students. Philadelphia, PA: Churchill Livingstone/Elsevier.
  • McKinley, M. & Loughlin, V. (2012). Human anatomy. New York: McGraw-Hill.
  • Moore, K. L., Dalley, A. F., & Agur, A. M. R. (2014). Clinically Oriented Anatomy (7th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
  • Standring, S. (2016). Gray's Anatomy (41st ed.). Edinburgh: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone

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