The thorax is the area of the body situated between the neck and the abdomen. The thorax itself can be split up into various areas that contain important structures. The thorax is bound by bony structures including the 12 pairs of ribs and thoracic vertebrae, whilst also being supported by many ligaments and muscles.
Is thorax and chest the same thing?
The thorax is also called the chest and contains the main organs of respiration and circulation. The heart through its main artery, the aorta, pumps oxygenated blood to all parts of the body. … Together these organs sustain some of the most critical life functions of the body.
What is the function of the thorax?
It provides a base for the muscle attachment of the upper extremities, the head and neck, the vertebral column, and the pelvis. The thorax also provides protection for the heart, lungs, and viscera.
Where does thorax end?
In tetrapods. In mammals, the thorax is the region of the body formed by the sternum, the thoracic vertebrae, and the ribs. It extends from the neck to the diaphragm, and does not include the upper limbs.
Why would a doctor order a CT scan of the lungs?
CT scans of your chest can help your doctor diagnose, or rule out, various lung impairments. Some of these include blood clots, lung tumors or masses, excess fluid around the lungs (pleural effusion), emphysema, COPD, pneumonia, scarring of the lungs, tuberculosis or a pulmonary embolism.
What is a thorax CT scan looking for?
A CT scan of the chest can help find problems such as infection, lung cancer, blocked blood flow in the lung (pulmonary embolism), and other lung problems. It also can be used to see if cancer has spread into the chest from another area of the body.
Is the thorax the rib cage?
rib cage, in vertebrate anatomy, basketlike skeletal structure that forms the chest, or thorax, and is made up of the ribs and their corresponding attachments to the sternum (breastbone) and the vertebral column.
Is the thorax a bone?
Thorax —The bones that surround and form the chest cavity. The thorax includes the sternum and the ribs. True ribs —The first seven ribs, 1-7, directly attached to the sternum. Vertebra —Flat bones that make up the vertebral column.
Which muscles help in respiration?
The diaphragm is the major muscle responsible for breathing. It is a thin, dome-shaped muscle that separates the abdominal cavity from the thoracic cavity.
What does thorax mean in medical terms?
Listen to pronunciation. (THOR-ax) The area of the body between the neck and the abdomen. The thorax contains vital organs, including the heart, major blood vessels, and lungs.
Whats in the center of your chest?
Your sternum is a bone that’s located in the middle of your chest. It’s also sometimes referred to as the breastbone. Your sternum protects the organs of your torso from injury and also serves as a connection point for other bones and muscles.
Where is the mediastinum cavity located?
mediastinum, the anatomic region located between the lungs that contains all the principal tissues and organs of the chest except the lungs.
How many bones are in the thorax?
Chest (thorax)
There are usually 25 bones in the chest but sometimes there can be additional cervical ribs in men.
Which is better MRI or CT scan for lungs?
In general, CT is superior to MRI as an all-around tool for imaging the wide range of thoracic abnormalities that can be present in patients with lung cancer. Limited availability, and longer examination time of MRI compared with CT has restricted the use of thoracic MRI.
Which scan is best for lungs?
A low-dose chest CT produces images of enough quality to detect many lung diseases and abnormalities using much less radiation than a conventional chest CT scan. In some cases, doctors may lower the dose by 65 percent or more.
What if my CT scan is abnormal?
CT scan results are considered normal if the radiologist didn’t see any tumors, blood clots, fractures, or other abnormalities in the images. If any abnormalities are detected during the CT scan, you may need further tests or treatments, depending on the type of abnormality found.
Can CT scan detect lung infection?
CT of the lungs: A CT scan of the chest may be done to see finer details within the lungs and detect pneumonia that may be more difficult to see on a plain x-ray. A CT scan also shows the airway (trachea and bronchi) in great detail and can help determine if pneumonia may be related to a problem within the airway.
Is chest CT scan harmful?
It can damage the DNA in your cells and raise the chance that they’ll turn cancerous. These scans expose you to more radiation than other imaging tests, like X-rays and mammograms. For example, one chest CT scan delivers the amount in 100 to 200 X-rays.
What organs show up on a chest CT scan?
A chest CT (computed tomography) scan uses special X-ray equipment to take detailed images of the lungs, heart, blood vessels, airways, ribs and lymph nodes. Chest CT scans can help you doctor to determine the causes of chest symptoms such as cough, shortness of breath and chest pain.
What are 3 types of ribs?
According to their attachment to the sternum, the ribs are classified into 3 groups: true, false, and floating ribs. The false ribs (8,9,10) are the ribs that indirectly articulate with the sternum, as their costal cartilages connect with the seventh costal cartilag by the costochondral joint.
What are the 4 different places where ribs attach?
Anteriorly, each rib ends in a costal cartilage. True ribs (1–7) attach directly to the sternum via their costal cartilage. The false ribs (8–12) either attach to the sternum indirectly or not at all. Ribs 8–10 have their costal cartilages attached to the cartilage of the next higher rib.
What does sternum pain mean?
Sternum pain is usually caused by problems with the muscles and bones near the sternum and not the sternum itself. Pain felt just behind or below the sternum is called substernal pain and is sometimes caused by gastrointestinal problems. Some of the most common causes of sternum and substernal pain are: costochondritis.
What is the thorax muscle?
The muscles of the thorax include both the diaphragm as well as the muscles of the thoracic cage. … The intercostals (external, internal and innermost), subcostals and transversus thoracic are the 5 muscles which comprise the thoracic cage and are therefore considered muscles of the thorax.
Where are the femur?
femur, also called thighbone, upper bone of the leg or hind leg. The head forms a ball-and-socket joint with the hip (at the acetabulum), being held in place by a ligament (ligamentum teres femoris) within the socket and by strong surrounding ligaments.
What is dyspnea caused by?
According to Dr. Steven Wahls, the most common causes of dyspnea are asthma, heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), interstitial lung disease, pneumonia, and psychogenic problems that are usually linked to anxiety. If shortness of breath starts suddenly, it is called an acute case of dyspnea.
Which back muscle extends the head?
The two trapezius muscles together form a kite shape. The trapezius muscle can be involved in extending the head upward or neck backward, rotating/turning the head, or lifting the shoulder blade. Erector spinae. Numerous muscles comprise the erector spinae muscles throughout the spine.
When you inhale your lungs will?
When you breathe in, or inhale, your diaphragm contracts and moves downward. This increases the space in your chest cavity, and your lungs expand into it. The muscles between your ribs also help enlarge the chest cavity. They contract to pull your rib cage both upward and outward when you inhale.
What is thorax in biology?
Thorax: The area of the body that is located between the abdomen and the neck. Within the thorax are the lungs, the heart, and the first section of the aorta. Also known as chest.
What part of speech is tibia?
The inner and usually the larger of the two bones of the leg or hind limb below the knee.
Where is the Manubrium bone located?
The manubrium (Latin for “handle”) is the broad upper part of the sternum. It has a quadrangular shape, narrowing from the top, which gives it four borders. The suprasternal notch (jugular notch) is located in the middle at the upper broadest part of the manubrium. This notch can be felt between the two clavicles.
What is between the bottom of your ribs?
The diaphragm is a mushroom-shaped muscle that sits beneath your lower-to-middle rib cage. It separates your abdomen from your thoracic area. Your diaphragm helps you breathe by lowering when you inhale, in that way, allowing your lungs to expand. It then rises to its original position when you exhale.
Can you feel the Xiphoid?
Xiphoid Process – Normal Lump at Bottom of Breastbone:
The small hard lump at the lower end of the sternum (breastbone) is normal. It is called the xiphoid process. You can feel it. It is more prominent in babies and slender children.
What is the breastbone called?
The long flat bone that forms the center front of the chest wall. The breastbone is attached to the collarbone and the first seven ribs. Also called sternum.
What cavity are lungs?
The chest cavity is the area surrounded by the thoracic vertebrae, the ribs, the sternum, and the diaphragm. The lungs are housed in the chest cavity, a space that also includes the mediastinum.
What is lung mediastinum?
The mediastinum is the area that separates the lungs. It is surrounded by the breastbone in front and the spine in back, with the lungs on either side. It encompasses the heart, aorta, esophagus, thymus (a gland in the back of the neck) and trachea (windpipe).
What organ is posterior to the heart?
The heart sits in the mediastinum (central compartment of the thoracic cavity) while the kidneys are further down on the retroperitoneum (the space in the abdominal cavity behind the peritoneum/ membrane). They are below the heart – inferior. They are behind the heart – posterior.
Are there 206 or 213 bones in the human body?
There are typically around 270 bones in human infants, which fuse to become 206 to 213 bones in the human adult. The reason for the variability in the number of bones is because some humans may have a varying number of ribs, vertebrae, and digits.
What type of bone is thorax?
The bones of the thorax are the thoracic vertebrae, the twelve pairs of ribs, and the sternum. Connecting the upper ten pairs of ribs to the sternum are the costal cartilages. The first rib is quite small.
What is the longest bone in the body?
The femur bone is the longest and strongest bone in the body.