Thoracic cavity

Structures within the thoracic cavity include: • structures of the cardiovascular system, including the heart and great vessels, which include the thoracic aorta, the pulmonary artery and all its branches, the superior and inferior vena cava, the pulmonary veins, and the azygos vein • structures of the respiratory system, including the diaphragm, trachea, bronchi and lungs • structures of the digestive system, including the esophagus, • endocrine glands, including the thymus gland, • structures of the nervous system including the paired vagus nerves, and the paired sympathetic chains, • lymphatics including the thoracic duct. It contains three potential spaces lined with mesothelium: the paired pleural cavities and the pericardial cavity. The mediastinum comprises those organs which lie in the centre of the chest between the lungs. The cavity also contains two openings one at the top, the superior thoracic aperture also called the thoracic inlet, and a lower inferior thoracic aperture which is much larger than the inlet. ==Clinical significance==

If the pleural cavity is breached from the outside, as by a bullet wound or knife wound, a pneumothorax, or air in the cavity, may result. If the volume of air is significant, one or both lungs may collapse, which requires immediate medical attention. ==Additional images==

File:CT-Thorax-5.0-B31f.ogg|CT scan of the thorax (axial mediastinal window) File:COR-2-STND-CHEST.ogg|CT scan of the thorax (coronal lung window) File:COR-2-STND-CHEST-MEDIASTINUM.ogg|CT scan of the thorax (coronal mediastinal window) File:Blausen 0458 Heart ThoracicCavity.png|Illustration of heart in thoracic cavity File:Blausen 0467 HeartLocation.png|Illustration of heart position relative to the rib cage ==See also==