Where is the spleen primarily located?

• A. The lower right quadrant near the appendix
• B. The upper right part of the abdomen under the ribs
• C. In the chest behind the sternum
• D. The upper left side of the abdomen, next to the stomach and behind the left ribs

Answer: (D)

The spleen sits in the upper left quadrant of the abdomen, tucked under the left ribs and beside the stomach. This location—left side, just below the rib cage and behind the stomach—is why the correct choice describes the spleen as being on the upper left side of the abdomen near the stomach and protected by the left ribs. The other described locations don’t match anatomy: the lower right quadrant near the appendix houses structures like the appendix, the upper right abdomen houses the liver and gallbladder, and the chest behind the sternum contains mediastinal organs rather than the spleen.