Select the closed-ended question below.

Choice A reason: Inspection, palpation, and auscultation is incorrect, as palpation before auscultation can alter bowel sounds by stimulating peristalsis. Abdominal assessment requires auscultation first to capture natural bowel activity, followed by palpation to avoid disrupting the acoustic findings critical for diagnosing conditions like obstruction.

Choice B reason: Inspection, auscultation, and palpation is the correct sequence for abdominal assessment. Inspection identifies visible abnormalities, auscultation captures unaltered bowel sounds, and palpation assesses tenderness or masses. This order prevents palpation from affecting auscultatory findings, ensuring accurate evaluation of gastrointestinal function and potential pathologies.

Choice C reason: Auscultation, inspection, and palpation disrupts the logical flow of abdominal assessment. Inspection should precede auscultation to note visible abnormalities that may guide listening. Starting with auscultation risks missing contextual visual cues, reducing the effectiveness of the assessment and potentially overlooking critical signs.

Choice D reason: Palpation, auscultation, and inspection is incorrect, as palpation first can stimulate or suppress bowel sounds, skewing auscultation results. Inspection must initiate the process to identify visible issues, followed by auscultation and palpation, to maintain accuracy in assessing abdominal conditions like peritonitis or organ enlargement.

Choice A reason: The descending colon is located in the left lower quadrant (LLQ), descending along the left abdomen. Assessing this area detects abnormalities like diverticulitis or masses. Accurate localization ensures targeted examination, guiding diagnosis and interventions, critical for managing colorectal conditions and preventing complications in abdominal assessments.

Choice B reason: The right lower quadrant (RLQ) contains the appendix and cecum, not the descending colon, which is in the LLQ. Misidentifying this risks incorrect assessment, potentially missing LLQ issues like colitis, delaying diagnosis and treatment, critical for addressing colorectal pathology in patients with abdominal symptoms.

Choice C reason: The right upper quadrant (RUQ) includes the liver and gallbladder, not the descending colon, located in the LLQ. Assuming RUQ misguides assessment, risking oversight of LLQ conditions like diverticulitis, delaying targeted interventions, essential for accurate diagnosis and management of abdominal issues in clinical practice.

Choice D reason: The left upper quadrant (LUQ) contains the stomach and spleen, not the descending colon, which resides in the LLQ. Misidentifying this risks missing LLQ pathology like masses or inflammation, delaying diagnosis and treatment, critical for effective abdominal assessment and management of colorectal conditions in patients.