Anatomy and Physiology Imaging Practice Test 2026 – Comprehensive Exam Prep

Dorsal body cavity is the posterior space that protects the brain and spinal cord. It has two parts: the cranial cavity, which houses the brain, and the vertebral (spinal) cavity, which contains the spinal cord. These two spaces run the length of the skull and the vertebral column and are continuous with one another, both protected by the meninges. The thoracic cavity, by contrast, is part of the ventral body cavity, not the dorsal one. So, the dorsal body cavity consists of the cranial cavity and the vertebral cavity.