The mediastinum boundaries Flashcards
Where is the thorax?
Superior part of trunk
What is the thoracic cage made up of?
ribs, costal cartilage, sternum and thoracic vertebrae.
What is the central compartment of the thoracic cavity?
Mediastinum
What is the superior boundary of the mediastinum?
Superior thoracic aperture
What is the inferior boundary of the mediastinum?
Diaphragm
What is the anterior boundary of the mediastinum?
Sternum and costal cartilages.
What is the posterior boundary of the mediastinum?
The 12 thoracic vertebrae
What is the top part of the sternum called?
manubrium
What is the join between the manubrium and the body of the sternum called?
The sternal angle.
Describe the thoracic plane
The horizontal plane that goes from the sternal angle to between T4 and T5. It splits the mediastinum into the superior and inferior mediastinum.
What splits the mediastinum into superior and inferior?
The thoracic plane
What does the inferior mediastinum split into?
The anterior, middle and posterior mediastinum.
