| |
thorax
(thorŽaks)
the part of the body between the neck and abdomen; it is separated from the abdomen by the diaphragm. Its walls are formed by the 12 pairs of ribs, attached to the sides of the spine and curving toward the front. The principal
organs in the thoracic cavity are the heart with its major blood vessels and the lungs with the bronchi, which bring in the body's air supply. The trachea enters the thorax to connect with the lungs, and the esophagus travels through it to connect with the stomach below the diaphragm. Called also chest and pectus.

Copyright 2007. An Elsevier publication. All rights reserved.
Click here for important legal information about Dorland's Medical Dictionary.
|