Major structures of the stomach bed include which organs?

• A. Pancreas, spleen, left kidney and suprarenal, diaphragm
• B. Liver, gallbladder, duodenum
• C. Spleen, stomach, adrenal glands
• D. Pancreas, duodenum, spleen

Answer: (A)

The stomach rests on a bed formed by structures that lie directly behind its posterior surface. The major components of this gastric bed are the pancreas (especially its body and tail lying behind the stomach), the spleen (posterior to the stomach along the left side), the left kidney and the left suprarenal (adrenal) gland lying retroperitoneally behind, and the left dome of the diaphragm forming the superior boundary. This combination best fits the concept of structures that constitute the stomach’s bed.

Other organs such as the liver, gallbladder, or the duodenum don’t together constitute the primary posterior bed of the stomach: the duodenum is more to the right and inferior, and the liver and gallbladder lie more anteriorly or superiorly relative to the stomach.