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This article refers to the anatomical term. See Chest (disambiguation) for other usages
Anatomy of the chest - Humans and other hominids
In hominids, the chest is the region of the body between the
neck and the abdomen, along with the internal
organs contained within. It is mostly protected and supported by
the ribcage, spine, and shoulder girdle. Landmarks of the chest include the heart, lungs, diaphragm,
esophagus, trachea, superior vena cava, inferior vena cava, the shoulder socket containing the upper part of the humerus, nipple, scapula,
pulmonary artery, sternum, xiphoid process, thoracic portion of the
spine, major and minor pectoral muscles, trapezius muscles, collarbone, and mammary glands in female hominids.
In humans, the portion of the chest protected by the ribcage is also called the thorax. The words chest and thorax are often mistakenly used interchangeably.
Anatomy of the chest - Other animals
In insects and other creatures with an exoskeleton, the area corresponding
to the chest is called the thorax.
In 4 legged animals, the mammary glands and nipples are located closer to the back legs, and are therefore not part of the
chest. Otherwise, the anatomy contains similar internal organs in different configurations.
See also: Anatomy
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