The thoracic cavity is the chamber of the human body (and other animal bodies) that is enclosed by the ribcage and the diaphragm. Structures within the thoracic cavity include: A body cavity is an aspect of a number of basic animal body plans (phyla) that incorporate a central body cavity, known as a coelom. ... This article is about the bones called ribs. ... A diagram of the thoracic muscles featuring the diaphragm In the anatomy of mammals, the diaphragm is a shelf of muscle extending across the bottom of the ribcage. ...

• the lungs,
• the heart,
• the thoracic aorta,
• the main pulmonary artery and its branches,
• the thymus gland,
• the trachea and bronchi and
• the oesophagus.  : )

It contains the potential space called the pleural cavity and the mediastinum. The heart with relation to the lungs (from an older edition of Grays Anatomy) This x-ray of the human chest shows the lungs as dark regions The lung is an organ belonging to the respiratory system and interfacing to the circulatory system of air-breathing vertebrates. ... The heart and lungs (from an older edition of Grays Anatomy) The heart (Latin cor) is a hollow, muscular organ that pumps blood through the blood vessels by repeated, rhythmic contractions. ... The largest artery in the human body, the aorta originates from the left ventricle of the heart and brings oxygenated blood to all parts of the body in the systemic circulation. ... The pulmonary arteries carry blood from the heart to the lungs. ... Thymus, see Thyme. ... The trachea (IPA /treikiÉ™/), or windpipe, is a tube extending from the larynx to the bronchi in mammals, and from the pharynx to the syrinx in birds, carrying air to the lungs. ... A bronchus (plural bronchi, adjective bronchial) is a caliber of airways in the the respiratory tract that conducts air into the lungs. ... The esophagus, oe/œsophagus*, or gullet is the muscular tube in vertebrates through which ingested food passes from the mouth area to the stomach. ... In anatomy, the pleural cavity is the potential space between the lungs and the chest wall. ... The mediastinum is a non-delineated group of structures in the thorax (chest), surrounded by loose connective tissue. ...

If the thoracic cavity is breached from the outside, as by a bullet wound or knife wound, a pneumothorax, or air in the cavity, usually results, often leading to one or both lungs collapsing and requiring immediate medical attention. In medicine (pulmonology), a pneumothorax or collapsed lung is a medical emergency that can result from a penetrating chest wound or barotrauma to the lungs. ...