Printer Friendly
Dictionary, Encyclopedia and Thesaurus - The Free Dictionary
3,592,534,478 visitors served.
forum Join the Word of the Day Mailing List For webmasters
?
Dictionary/
thesaurus
Medical
dictionary
Legal
dictionary
Financial
dictionary
Acronyms
 
Idioms
Encyclopedia
Wikipedia
encyclopedia
?

Thoracic Cavity

   Also found in: Dictionary/thesaurus, Medical, Wikipedia, Hutchinson 0.03 sec.

thoracic cavity

 or chest cavity

Second largest hollow space of the body, enclosed by the ribs, vertebral column, and breastbone and separated from the abdominal cavity by the diaphragm. It contains the lungs and bronchi, part of the esophagus and trachea, and the heart and major blood vessels. A membrane called the pleura lines the cavity (parietal pleura) and continues over the lung (visceral pleura) and the rest of the cavity's contents, defining a space called the mediastinum. Disorders include blood (hemothorax) or air (pneumothorax, which can lead to atelectasis) in the pleural cavity and inflammation of the pleura (pleurisy).


thoracic cavity [thə′ras·ik ′kav·əd·ē]
(anatomy)

Thoracic Cavity 

the anterior (in man, the superior) portion of the body cavity in mammals, separated from the abdominal cavity by the diaphragm.

The respiratory tract, lungs, esophagus, heart, thymus, and the bronchial and lymph nodes are all located in the thoracic cavity; blood vessels, lymphatic vessels, and nerves pass through it as well. The space in the thoracic cavity between the concave inner surfaces of the lungs, in which (in a special pericardial cavity) the heart is located, is called the mediastinum. The thoracic cavity is lined with a serous membrane called the pleura. The lungs are enclosed in the so-called pleural cavities, which are separate in man but communicate with one another in the majority of mammals. The shape of the thoracic cavity depends upon the shape of the thorax and the position of the diaphragm.



How to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit webmaster's page for free fun content.
?Page tools
Printer friendly
Cite / link
Feedback
Mentioned in?  References in classic literature?   Encyclopedia browser?   Full browser?
No references found
 
That's why they go in so easily if you lace tight and squeeze the lungs and heart in the let me see, what was that big word oh, I know thoracic cavity," and Rose beamed with pride as she aired her little bit of knowledge.
 
 
 
Encyclopedia
?

Terms of Use | Privacy policy | Feedback | Copyright © 2012 Farlex, Inc.
Disclaimer
All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional.