What referred pain is the black arrow pointing to?

What referred pain is the black arrow pointing to?

• A. Liver
• B. Stomach
• C. Small intestine
• D. Kidney and ureter

Answer: (C)

Pain from visceral organs is often felt in a different, somatic region because visceral and somatic nerves converge onto the same spinal segments. The small intestine is part of the midgut, and its sensory fibers enter the spinal cord around the T10 level. That means perceived pain localizes around the umbilicus (periumbilical region), a classic referral pattern for midgut structures. If the arrow is pointing to the area around the belly button, this pattern fits best with the small intestine. In contrast, liver-related pain tends to show up in the right upper quadrant and can refer to the right shoulder via the phrenic nerve; stomach pain is typically in the epigastric region; and kidney/ureter pain is more likely to present in the flank or groin. Thus the periumbilical location aligns most closely with referred pain from the small intestine.

Pain from visceral organs is often felt in a different, somatic region because visceral and somatic nerves converge onto the same spinal segments. The small intestine is part of the midgut, and its sensory fibers enter the spinal cord around the T10 level. That means perceived pain localizes around the umbilicus (periumbilical region), a classic referral pattern for midgut structures.

If the arrow is pointing to the area around the belly button, this pattern fits best with the small intestine. In contrast, liver-related pain tends to show up in the right upper quadrant and can refer to the right shoulder via the phrenic nerve; stomach pain is typically in the epigastric region; and kidney/ureter pain is more likely to present in the flank or groin. Thus the periumbilical location aligns most closely with referred pain from the small intestine.