Anatomy Exam Upper Gastrointestinal Tract 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which ligament connects the lesser curvature of the stomach to the liver?
- Gastrosplenic ligament
- Hepatoduodenal ligament
- Gastrorenal ligament
- Hepatogastric ligament (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Hepatogastric ligament
The hepatogastric ligament is the portion of the lesser omentum that stretches from the porta hepatis to the lesser curvature of the stomach.
Question 2: The short gastric arteries, which supply the fundus of the stomach, arise from which vessel?
- Left gastric artery
- Right gastroepiploic artery
- Splenic artery (Correct answer)
- Gastroduodenal artery
Correct answer: Splenic artery
The short gastric arteries (vasa brevia) arise from the splenic artery near the splenic hilum and travel through the gastrosplenic ligament to supply the fundus.
Question 3: What is the name of the peritoneal recess posterior to the stomach?
- Paracolic gutter
- Hepatorenal recess
- Omental bursa (lesser sac) (Correct answer)
- Rectouterine pouch
Correct answer: Omental bursa (lesser sac)
The omental bursa (lesser sac) is the potential space posterior to the stomach and lesser omentum, communicating with the greater sac through the epiploic foramen.
Question 4: Which part of the autonomic nervous system stimulates gastric acid secretion?
- Sympathetic (thoracolumbar) division
- Parasympathetic (craniosacral) division (Correct answer)
- Somatic motor division
- Enteric division alone
Correct answer: Parasympathetic (craniosacral) division
Parasympathetic stimulation via the vagus nerve activates parietal cells to secrete HCl and also promotes gastrin release from G cells.
Question 5: The superior mesenteric artery (SMA) can compress the duodenum against the aorta — which part is most vulnerable?
- First part
- Second part
- Third part (Correct answer)
- Fourth part
Correct answer: Third part
The third (horizontal) part of the duodenum crosses between the SMA anteriorly and the aorta/vertebral column posteriorly, making it susceptible to SMA syndrome.
Question 6: Which layer of the stomach wall is unique compared to the rest of the GI tract because it has three muscular layers?
- The muscularis externa of the stomach has an additional oblique layer (Correct answer)
- The stomach submucosa contains an extra muscle layer
- The gastric serosa incorporates a muscular sheet
- The stomach mucosa has a unique muscularis mucosae
Correct answer: The muscularis externa of the stomach has an additional oblique layer
The stomach's muscularis externa has three layers — outer longitudinal, middle circular, and inner oblique — which enable the churning motion needed for mechanical digestion.
Question 7: Waldeyer's ring of lymphoid tissue includes the pharyngeal tonsil. At which location in the upper GI/respiratory passage is the pharyngeal tonsil found?
- Posterior wall of the nasopharynx (Correct answer)
- Lateral wall of the oropharynx
- Base of the tongue
- Posterior wall of the laryngopharynx
Correct answer: Posterior wall of the nasopharynx
The pharyngeal tonsil (adenoid) is located in the mucosa of the posterior and superior wall of the nasopharynx.
Anatomy Exam Upper Gastrointestinal Tract 5
Which ligament connects the lesser curvature of the stomach to the liver?