Download ANATOMY OF FEMALE GENITAL ORGANS

ANATOMY OF FEMALE GENITAL ORGANS
The upper two-thirds of the uterus is the body or corpus, which has its own
diagnostic, staging and treatment guidelines. The lower third of the uterus comprises
the cervix. The upper boundary of the cervix is the level of the internal os, a
narrowing of the uterus that is also referred to as the isthmus. The internal os is the
opening between the cervix and the corpus. The external os is the opening between
the cervix and vagina. The cervix has no perimetrium (serosal covering).
1. Round ligament
2. Uterus
3. Uterine cavity
4. Intestinal
surface of Uterus
5. Versical surface
(toward bladder)
6. Fundus of uterus
7. Body of uterus
8. Palmate folds of
cervical canal
9. Cervical canal
10. Posterior lip
11. Cervical os
(external)
12. Isthmus of
uterus
13. Supravaginal
portion of cervix
14. Vaginal portion
of cervix
15. Anterior lip
16. Cervix
Within the cervix itself, the anatomy is subdivided into the endocervix and the
exocervix or ectocervix. The upper two-thirds of the cervix (endocervix) contains
columnar glandular epithelium. Adenosquamous carcinoma may arise here.
The lower third of the cervix (exocervix or ectocervix) is comprised of stratified
squamous epithelium extending onto the lip of the cervix. The midpoint between the
exocervix and the endocervix is the squamocolumnar junction, which is visible
through a colposcope. The squamocolumnar junction is the most common primary
site within the cervix.
The cervix projects into the vagina, and the circular trough formed at the upper end
of the vagina around the cervix is the fornix. There are four fornices, two lateral, plus
anterior and posterior. The lip or portio (portio vaginalis cervicis) is the portion of the
cervix that extends into the vagina.
The Pouch of Douglas (cul-de-sac or rectovaginal septum) is the space between the
rectum and the uterus. This is the lowest part of the abdominal cavity.
Courtesy of Linda Rego, Hawaii Tumor Registry