Wiktionary
n. (context medicine English) A chamber located within the upper human torso (and other animal bodies) which contains the heart and lungs.
WordNet
n. the cavity in the vertebrate body enclosed by the ribs between the diaphragm and the neck and containing the lungs and heart [syn: chest cavity]
Wikipedia
The thoracic cavity (or chest cavity) is the chamber of the body of vertebrates that is protected by the thoracic wall ( rib cage and associated skin, muscle, and fascia). The central compartment of the thoracic cavity is the mediastinum. There are two openings of the thoracic cavity, a superior thoracic aperture known as the thoracic inlet and a lower inferior thoracic aperture known as the thoracic outlet.
The thoracic cavity includes the tendons as well as the cardiovascular system which could be damaged from injury to the back, spine or the neck.
Usage examples of "thoracic cavity".
It appears that the pectoralis minor and pectoralis major are separated from the external thoracic cavity, the external and internal in.
Burke turned to glare at the body of an elderly man lying on the stainless steel table, thoracic cavity open, skull cap resting against one ear.
His gaze followed it back down to the thoracic cavity, still enclosed by the circling ribs.
Chiun blended a four-armed lug wrench into the thoracic cavity of one bruiser and drifted to the left, his black robe swirling about him, as Remo went toward the right.
It thrust the knife under Brogan's rib cage into the thoracic cavity and watched him drown in his own blood.
It acted directly on the nerves, the only objective lesion being a spasm of the respiratory system, the lungs contracting in the lower thoracic cavity would become blood-tinged and - on autopsy - the veins would stand out as clearly as if filled with the brightest red ink.
Because there would surely be a laughter with an extra thoracic cavity.
Inside his thoracic cavity, the pacemaker adjusted his heartbeat in response to the elevated level of adrenalinemia.
She gulped like a bulldog trying to swallow a sirloin steak many sizes too large for its thoracic cavity.
I remembered the way it had gone the first time: waiting my moment, thrusting the door open, planting my feet, taking aim, firing three shots into the android's thoracic cavity before he was aware that a new factor had entered the equation.
I remembered the way it had gone the first time: waiting my moment, thrusting the door open, planting my feet, taking aim, firing three shots into the androids thoracic cavity before he was aware that a new factor had entered the equation.