Where it is
The transverse colon crosses from right to left, cranial to the root of the mesentery; the descending colon runs down the left side to the rectum.
- Layer
- Organs
- System
- Digestive system
- Region
- Abdomen
What it is and what it does
After the short ascending colon, the transverse colon crosses from right to left, cranial to the root of the mesentery, and the descending colon runs along the left side of the abdomen, dorsally, continuing as the rectum at the pelvic inlet. The descending colon is retroperitoneal for part of its length and is the caudal and medial landmark of the spleen.
Worth remembering
The descending colon is the spleen's landmark toward the back and the inside.
Names
- Latin term: colon transversum et descendens.
- In Romanian: Colonul transvers și descendent (Romanian page).