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Thoracic Anatomy

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Description

Muscles of Respiration[1]
Anatomy of the thoracic skeleton[2]
Anatomy of the intercostal neurovascular bundle, showing interconnection between the anterior intercostal neurovascular bundle and the posterior intercostal neurovascular bundle[3]
Illustration of the sternum and ribs
Anatomy of the sternoclavicular joints, viewed from the anterior aspect with the left joint intact and the right joint in coronal section[4]
Illustration of the diaphragm muscle[5]
Sagittal view of the mediastinum[6]
Erector Spinae Muscles. Deep spinal muscles including semispinalis, multifidus, spinalis, longissimus, iliocostalis[7]

Names

  • Anatomy of the Thorax
  • Thorax Anatomy
  • Thoracic Region Anatomy
  • Chest Anatomy
  • Thoracic Cavity Anatomy
  • Anatomy of the Chest
  • Structural Anatomy of the Thorax
  • Thoracic Wall Anatomy
  • Bony Thorax Anatomy
  • Clinical Thoracic Anatomy

General

  • Area of the body situated between the neck and the abdomen
  • Can be split into various areas which are reviewed below

Muscles

Primary Muscles of Respiration

Accessory Muscles of Respiration

Intrinsic Muscles of the Chest Wall

Deep Back Muscles Related to Thorax

Abdominal Wall Muscles with Thoracic Attachments

Bones

Joints

Anterior Thorax

Posterior Thorax

Ligaments

Ligaments of the Sternocostal Joints

  • Intraarticular Sternocostal Ligaments
  • Radiate Sternocostal Ligaments
  • Costoxiphoid Ligaments

Ligaments of the Costovertebral Joints

  • Radiate ligament of head of rib
  • Intra-articular ligament of head of rib

Ligaments of the Costotransverse Joints

  • Lateral costotransverse ligament
  • Medial costotransverse ligament
  • Superior costotransverse ligament
  • Costotransverse ligament (proper)

Ligaments of the Sternoclavicular Joint

Ligaments of the Manubriosternal Joint

  • Manubriosternal ligament

Ligaments of the Xiphisternal Joint

  • Anterior and posterior ligaments

Ligaments of the Thoracic Spine

Viscera

Anterior view of the thorax and mediastinum without the heart[8]
Normal anatomical structures and landmarks and boundaries are outlined over normal chest radiographs of a boy age 2 years 7 months. a Posteroanterior (PA). b Lateral. Boundaries of the superior mediastinum are the thoracic inlet and the thoracic plane. The inferior mediastinum is demarcated by the thoracic plane and the thoracic outlet at the level of the diaphragm. The inferior mediastinum is divided into anterior, middle and posterior compartments. The anterior mediastinum is defined by the deep surface of the sternum (anterior black line in b) and the ventral pericardial surface. The middle mediastinum is contained within the pericardial sac. The dorsal surface of the pericardial sac and the ventral surface of the thoracic vertebral bodies (posterior black line in b) define the margins of the posterior mediastinum. Many structures traverse superior and inferior mediastinal spaces; the trachea (dotted black line), aorta (thick curved white outline), superior vena cava (narrow white line in a), the vagus nerve (dotted white line in b), and the sympathetic chain (paraspinal gray dotted line) are shown here[9]

Thymus Gland

  • Pink, lobulated lymphoid organ, located in the thoracic cavity/neck
  • Involved in the immune system in adolesence
  • After puberty, it atrophies and is slowly replaced by fat

Breast Tissue

  • Paired structures located on the anterior thoracic wall in the pectoral region
  • Present in males and females, more prominent in females following puberty
  • In females, contain mammary glands which are involved in lactation

Heart

  • Four chambered muscular organ that pumps blood throughout the body
  • Has two upper chambers (atria) and lower chambers (ventricles) separated by valves
  • The muscular myocardium is surrounded by pericardium and supported by the coronary arteries
  • The electrical activity of the heart originates in the sinoatrial node

Lungs

  • The lungs are paired organs responsible for respiration
  • The purpose of the lungs is to oxygenate blood
  • This is achieved by inspiring air into close contact with oxygen poor pulmonary capillaries

Tracheobronchial Tree

  • Formed by the trachea, bronchi and bronchioles
  • These are a system of airways that allow the passage of air into the lungs and gas exchange
  • Located in the neck and thorax

Pleura

  • The pleurae are serous membranes that line the outside of the lungs and inside of the thoracic cavity
  • They "stick" together with pleural fluid and permit efficient and effortless respirations

Mediastinum

  • Central compartment of the thoracic cavity
  • Located between the two lungs
  • Bounded by the sternum anteriorly, vertebral column posteriorly, diaphragm below and thoracic inlet superiorly
  • Can be broken down into superior/ inferior mediastinum
  • Superior: thymus, great vessels, trachea, esophagus, thoracic duct, vagus nerve, phrenic nerve, left recurrent laryngeal nerve
  • Inferior/anterior: fat, lymph nodes, connect tissue, part of thymus
  • Inferior/middle: heart, ascending aorta, pulmonary trunk, superior vena cava, pulmonary vein, phrenic nerve, main bronchus, lymph node
  • Inferior/posterior: esophagus, thoracic aorta, azygos and hemiazygos veins, thoracic duct, vagus nerve, splanchnic nerves, lymph nodes

Vasculature

  • Superior vena cava: formed from unification of left and right brachiocephalic veins
    • Carries blood from the top half of the body into the right atrium
  • Inferior vena cava: ascends from the abdomen and dumps blood from the lower body into the right atrium
  • Aorta: largest artery of the body, conduit for blood supply to the rest of the body
    • Ascending aorta: comes off left ventricle, supplies the coronary arteries
    • Aortic arch: brachiocephalic trunk, left common carotid artery, the left subclavian artery
    • Thoracic aorta: descends the thoracic cavity and pierces the diaphragm into the abdomen

Other Anatomic Structures

See Also

References

  1. ↑ Jolley, C. J., and J. Moxham. "Respiratory muscles, chest wall, diaphragm, and other: Clinical implications." Encyclopedia of Respiratory Medicine, Four-Volume Set. Elsevier Inc., 2006. 632-643.
  2. ↑ Salo, Juho. "Oncological Resection and Reconstruction of the Chest Wall." (2021).
  3. ↑ Kim, Jae Bong, et al. "Utility of two surgical techniques using a lateral intercostal artery perforator flap after breast-conserving surgery: a single-center retrospective study." Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery 143.3 (2019): 477e-487e.
  4. ↑ Smith, J. E., J. Kennedy, and M. Brinsden. "Sternoclavicular joint injuries." Trauma 12.2 (2010): 117-122.
  5. ↑ Image courtesy of sciencephoto.com
  6. ↑ Case courtesy of Gray's Illustrations, Radiopaedia.org, rID: 14547
  7. ↑ Galbusera, F., and H. J. Wilke. "Biomechanics of the Spine: Basic Concepts." Spinal Disorders and Treatments. 1st ed: Academic Press, 2018. 456 p (2018).
  8. ↑ Barber, Evan, Sean C. Grondin, and Colin Schieman. "Lung hemorrhage in trauma: Technical tricks and tips." Surgery Open Science 8 (2022): 20-22.
  9. ↑ Bardo, Dianna ME, et al. "Magnetic resonance imaging of the pediatric mediastinum." Pediatric Radiology 48.9 (2018): 1209-1222.
Created by:
John Kiel on 21 June 2019 00:01:59
Authors:
Last edited:
28 February 2026 16:33:21
Categories:
Anatomy | Thoracic | Torso | Featured
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