Thorax
The thorax is an irregularly shaped cylinder with a narrow opening (superior thoracic aperture) superiorly and a relatively large opening (inferior thoracic aperture) inferiorly. The superior thoracic aperture is open, allowing continuity with the neck; the inferior thoracic aperture is closed by the diaphragm.
The musculoskeletal wall of the thorax is flexible and consists of segmentally arranged vertebrae, ribs, muscles, and the sternum. The thoracic cavity is enclosed by the thoracic wall and the diaphragm, and is subdivided into three major compartments:
Right pleural cavity
Left pleural cavity
The mediastinum
The mediastinum is a thick, flexible soft tissue partition oriented longitudinally in a median saggital position. It contains the heart, esophagus, trachea, major nerves and major systemic blood vessels.
The pleural cavities are completely separated from each other by the mediastinum. Therefore, abnormal events in one pleural cavity do not necessarily affect the other cavity.
In this section, learn more about the anatomy of the thorax, and the structures located within it.
