The thoracic skeleton (compages thoracis) consists of the twelve thoracic vertebrae, ribs with their cartilages, and the sternum. Thorax may look stiff, but it is a quite flexible structure with the complex motion behavior during lateral bending and rotation of the spine*.
Thorax is the part of the axial skeleton. An axial skeleton includes all bones crossed by the median (mid-sagittal) plane — the skull with hyoid bone, spine, thorax, and pelvis.
The anterior aspect of the thorax. Note the costal arch made by fused costal cartilages of 7th, 8th, 9th, and usually also 10th rib.
The list of terms:Vertebra thoracica I & XII – First and twelveth thoracic vertebra Manubrium sterni Cartilago costalis I – Costal cartilage of the first rib Costa prima – First rib Costa secunda – Second rib Angulus sterni – Sternal angle Corpus sterni – Body of sternum Cartilago costalis II–X – Costal cartilage II–X Costa III–XII – Rib III–XII Spatium intercostale I–III – First, second and third intercostal space Arcus costalis – Costal arch Angulus infrasternalis – Infrasternal angle Planum subcostale – Subcostal plane
Oblique superior aspect of the rib cage. The thoracic inlet.
The list of terms:Apertura thoracis superior – Superior thoracic aperture (thoracic inlet) Manumbrium sterni Incisura jugularis – Jugular notch Incisura clavicularis – Clavicular notch Cartilago costae I – Costal cartilage of the first rib Corpus costae I – Body of the first rib Caput & collum costae I – Head and neck of the first rib Articulatio capitis costae – Joint of rib head Corpus vertebrae Th 1 – Body of the first thoracic vertebra
Bottom view of the thorax. The thoracic outlet.
The list of terms:Apertura thoracis inferior – Inferior thoracic aperture (thoracic outlet) Processus xiphoideus – Xiphoid process Arcus costalis – Cosotal arch Costal cartilage XI – Costal cartilage of the eleventh rib Costa & cartilago costae XII – Twelfth rib with costal cartilage Corpus vertebrae thoracicae XII – Body of the twelfth toracic vertebra Cavitas thoracis – Thoracic cavity Sulcus pulmonalis thoracis – Pulmonary sulcus of thorax
360° rotation of the rib cage
First published: May/2020
Last update: 28/Nov/2020