Anatomy: Thorax, Mediastinum, and Body Cavities

Question 1

What are the subdivisions of the Ventral Body Cavity?

Answer 1

Cranial Cavity, Dorsal body cavity, vertebral cavity, thoracic cavity, abdominal cavity, and pelvic cavity

Question 2

Viscera is covered with what?

Answer 2

Serous membrane

Question 3

What are the two parts to the serous membrane?

Answer 3

Parietal layer and Visceral layer

Question 4

What does the Parietal layer do?

Answer 4

line the walls of the cavity

Question 5

What does the Visceral layer do?

Answer 5

Adheres to the surface of the organ

Question 6

What does the small layer of serous fluid between parietal and visceral layer do?

Answer 6

Reduces friction

Question 7

What are the serous membranes based on location?

Answer 7

Parietal pleura/visceral pleura, parietal pericardium/visceral pericardium, parietal peritoneum/visceral peritoneum

Question 8

Where does the thorax span from?

Answer 8

From the neck to the diaphragm

Question 9

What does the thorax consist of?

Answer 9

A wall, two pleural cavities, lungs, and mediastinum

Question 10

The thorax houses and protects what?

Answer 10

The heart, lungs, and great vessels

Question 11

What are the thorax functions?

Answer 11

Conduit for structures passing from neck to abdomen. Principle role in breathing, support for upper limbs

Question 12

What are the three flat muscles found in each intercostal space that pass between ribs?

Answer 12

External intercostal muscle, internal intercostal muscle, innermost intercostal muscle

Question 13

What do the intercostal muscles of the thorax do?

Answer 13

All assist in respiration

Question 14

What is the diaphragm?

Answer 14

Major respiratory muscle that separates thoracic and abdominal cavity and is innervated by the phrenic nerve (C3-5)

Question 15

What structures pass through the diaphragm?

Answer 15

Inferior vena cava (T8), Esophagus (T10), Aorta (T12)

Question 16

What are the arteries of the Thoracic wall?

Answer 16

Internal thoracic artery, anterior intercostal artery, posterior intercostal artery, musculophrenic artery

Question 17

What artery does the internal thoracic artery branch off of?

Answer 17

subclavian artery

Question 18

Where does the posterior intercostal artery branch off of?

Answer 18

aorta

Question 19

Both the anterior intercostal artery and the musculophrenic artery branch off of what?

Answer 19

Internal thoracic artery

Question 20

Most veins of the thorax drain into what?

Answer 20

Azygos vein

Question 21

Where is the azygos vein located?

Answer 21

right side of the posterior thoracic wall and drains into superior vena cava

Question 22

What is the Mediastinum?

Answer 22

Broad, central partition separating the two pleural cavities

Question 23

Where does the Mediastinum extend from?

Answer 23

Sternum to bodies of vertebrae and superior aperture to diaphragm

Question 24

What is the Mediastinum divided into?

Answer 24

Superior mediastinum, anterior mediastinum, middle mediastinum, and posterior mediastinum

Question 25

What are the contents of the mediastinum?

Answer 25

Thymus gland, brachiocephalic vein, superior vena cava, aortic arch & 3 branches, trachea, espohagus, phrenic nerve, thoracic duct & lymphatics, pericardium & heart, nerve plexus, azygos vein, sympathetic chain, vagus nerve, fat