Thorax anatomy
The thorax is the chest region between the neck and the diaphragm. The rib cage protects the heart and lungs and provides attachment for muscles used in breathing and in moving the upper limb.
Pages in this region explain the bones, muscles and organs of the chest with an interactive 3D model highlighting each structure.
Muscles of the thorax
Bones of the thorax
Organs and glands of the thorax
Blood vessels of the thorax
Common questions
What organs are in the thoracic cavity?
The thoracic cavity contains the heart within the pericardium, the two lungs within their pleural sacs, the trachea and bronchi, the esophagus, the thymus, and the great vessels such as the aorta and venae cavae.
How many ribs do humans have?
Most people have twelve pairs of ribs. The upper seven pairs attach directly to the sternum, pairs eight to ten attach indirectly through shared costal cartilage, and the last two pairs are floating ribs.