Which cavity contains the urinary bladder?

• A. Pelvic
• B. Thoracic
• C. Abdominal
• D. Spinal

Answer: (A)

The urinary bladder is located primarily in the pelvic cavity. It’s a hollow, muscular organ that stores urine and sits in the true pelvis—in males it lies just anterior to the rectum, and in females it lies anterior to the uterus and vagina. When empty, it is largely within the pelvic cavity, and as it fills it can rise into the lower part of the abdominal cavity, but its main position is in the pelvis. The other cavities mentioned don’t house the bladder: the thoracic cavity contains the heart and lungs, the abdominal cavity houses most of the digestive organs, and the spinal (vertebral) canal contains the spinal cord.