Chest: Encyclopedia - Chest

Chest

The chest is a part of the anatomy of humans and various other animals.

Chest - Chest anatomy - Humans and other hominids

In hominids, the chest is the region of the body between the neck and the abdomen, along with its internal organs and other contents. It is mostly protected and supported by the ribcage, spine, and shoulder girdle. Contents of the chest include the following:

• organs
  • heart
  • lungs
• muscles
  • major and minor pectoral muscles
  • trapezius muscles
• internal structures
  • diaphragm
  • esophagus
  • trachea
  • xiphoid process
• arteries and veins
  • aorta
  • superior vena cava
  • inferior vena cava
  • pulmonary artery

• bones
  • the shoulder socket containing the upper part of the humerus
  • scapula
  • sternum
  • thoracic portion of the spine
  • collarbone
  • ribcage
  • Floating ribs
• external structures
  • nipples
  • mammary glands

In humans, the portion of the chest protected by the ribcage is also called the thorax. The words chest and thorax are often mistakenly used interchangeably.

Chest - Chest anatomy - Other animals

In insects and other creatures with an exoskeleton, the area corresponding to the chest is called the thorax.

In four legged mammals, the mammary glands and nipples are located closer to the back legs, and are therefore not part of the chest. Otherwise, the anatomy contains similar internal organs in different configurations.

Chest - Chest injury

Injury to the chest (also referred to as chest trauma, thoracic injury, or thoracic trauma) results in up to 1/4 of all deaths due to trauma in the United States ¹.

See also

• Thoracic cavity
• Pectus excavatum

Category: Thorax

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Chest", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki