chest

Question 1

what bones are located in the thorax?

Answer 1

thoracic vertebra
- body
- lamina
- pedicle
- transverse process
- Spinous process
- Inferior/ superior articular facet
- Intervertebral disc
- Vertebral foramen
Ribs
Sternum
- manubrium
- body
- xiphoid process
Clavicle
Scapula

Question 2

what organs (apart from the heart) lie within the thorax

Answer 2

Lungs
	- Lobes of the lungs
	- Fissures
	- Cardiac notch
Trachea
	- L and R bronchus
	- Carina
Thymus
Oesophagus

Question 3

at what level does the trachea bifurcate into the left and right main bronchi?

Answer 3

approx. T5

Question 4

what heart related vessels are within the thorax?

Answer 4

heart

• Right and left atrium
• Right and left ventricles
• Aortic valve
• Pulmonary valve
• Tricuspid valve
• Mitral valve
• Atrial and ventricular septum
• Pericardium

Question 5

what is the right atrium

Answer 5

Forms the right border of the heart and receives deoxygenated blood from the body via the SVC and IVC and from the coronary sinus and cardiac veins that drain the myocardium

Question 6

what is the right ventricle

Answer 6

Lies on the diaphragm and comprises the largest portion of the anterior surface of the heart
It receives deoxygenated blood from the right atrium and forces it into the pulmonary trunk for conveyance to the lungs

Question 7

what is the left atrium

Answer 7

Lies posterior to the right atrium and is the most posterior surface of the heart
Receives oxygenated blood directly from the lungs via the four pulmonary veins (two on each side)

Question 8

what is the left ventricle

Answer 8

Forms the apex, left border, and most of the inferior surface of the heart
It receives oxygenated blood from the left atrium and pumps it into the aorta for distribution throughout the systemic circuit
2 papillary muscles project from the ventricular walls to anchor the bicuspid valve to the left ventricle

Question 9

what are the 4 valves of the heart

Answer 9

2 atrioventricular valves
- tricuspid (right valve)
- bicuspid/mitral (left valve)
2 semilunar valves
- pulmonary
- aortic

Question 10

what do the two atrioventricular valves do and where are they found

Answer 10

found at the entrances to both ventricles and function to prevent backflow of blood between the atria and ventricles during ventricular contraction

Question 11

what do the two semilunar valves do and where are they found

Answer 11

Located at the junction where the ventricles meet the great vessels and separate the ventricles from the circulatory system

Question 12

list all the vessels of the thorax

Answer 12

aorta
- Ascending and descending arch
Superior vena cava
Inferior vena cava
Pulmonary trunk
Left and right pulmonary artery
Left and right pulmonary vein
- Superior and inferior
Brachiocephalic artery
Left and right common carotid
Left and right subclavian
Right and left brachiocephalic vein
Internal and external jugular veins
Right coronary artery
Left main coronary artery
Left anterior descending artery
Circumflex artery
Azygous vein

Question 13

what route does the ascending aorta follow

Answer 13

Begins at the base of the left ventricle
The origins (root) is divided into three dilations or protrusions that create space termed aortic sinuses, one left, one right, and one posterior, which correspond to the three cusps of the aortic semilunar valve
The right aortic sinus gives rise to the right coronary artery, and the left aortic sinus gives rise to the left coronary artery

Question 14

what route does the aortic arch follow

Answer 14

he ascending aorta curves superiorly and posteriorly as the aortic arch over the right pulmonary artery and right main bronchus
The top of the arch is approx. At the level of T3
The arch continues as the descending aorta

Question 15

what route does the descending aorta follow

Answer 15

The arch continues posterior to the left bronchus and pulmonary trunk, on the left side of the vertebral body of T4
Passes slightly anterior and to the left of the vertebral column as it descends through the thoracic and abdominal cavities

Question 16

what route does the pulmonary trunk (main pulmonary artery) follow

Answer 16

It arises from the right ventricle and ascends in front of the ascending aorta
Then it courses posteriorly and to the left, where it bifurcates at the level of the sternal angle (T4), into the right and left pulmonary arteries

Question 17

what route does the right pulmonary artery follow

Answer 17

Courses laterally, posterior to the ascending aorta and SVC, and anterior to the oesophagus and right main bronchus, to the hilum of the right lung
It then divides into two branches, with the lower branch supplying the middle and inferior lobes and the upper branch supplying the superior lobe

Question 18

what route does the left pulmonary artery follow

Answer 18

It travels horizontally, arching over the left main bronchus, and enters the hilum of the left lung just superior to the left main bronchus

Question 19

what route do the pulmonary veins follow

Answer 19

Located inferior to the pulmonary arteries, two each (superior and inferior), extending from each lung to enter the left atrium
They begin as a capillary network along the walls of the alveoli, where they merge with the capillaries of the pulmonary arteries

Question 20

what route does the right superior pulmonary vein follow

Answer 20

Collects blood from the upper lobe segments of the right lung and passes anterior and inferior to the right pulmonary artery, behind the superior vena cava

Question 21

what route does the right inferior pulmonary vein follow

Answer 21

Receives blood from the lower lobes of the right lung and crosses behind the right atrium to the left atrium

Question 22

what route does the left superior pulmonary vein follow

Answer 22

Receives blood from the left upper lobe of the left lung and courses anterior and inferior to the left main bronchus as it enters the left atrium

Question 23

what route does the left inferior pulmonary vein follow

Answer 23

• Drains the inferior lobe of the left lung and passes toward the left atrium anterior to the bronchi

Question 24

what route does the SVC follow

Answer 24

Formed by the junction of the brachiocephalic veins, posterior to the right first costal cartilage, and carries blood from the thorax, upper limbs, head and neck
As it travels inferiorly, it is located posterior and lateral to the ascending aorta before entering the upper portion of the right atrium

Question 25

what route does the IVC follow

Answer 25

Formed by the junction of the common iliac veins in the pelvis and ascends the abdomen to the right of the abdominal aorta and anterior to the vertebral column It passes through the caval hiatus of the diaphragm and almost immediately enters the inferior portion of the right atrium

Question 26

What route does blood follow during circulation of blood through the heart

Answer 26

Deoxygenated blood is brought to the right atrium from the peripheral tissues by the IVC and SVC The right atrium contracts, forcing blood through the tricuspid valve into the right ventricle The right ventricle pumps blood through the pulmonary semilunar valve to the pulmonary arteries, which enter into the lungs Oxygenated blood returns to the heart via the pulmonary veins, which enter the left atrium The left atrium forces blood through the mitral valve into the left ventricle, where it is then pumped through the aortic valve to the aorta

Question 27

what route does the brachiocephalic trunk follow

Answer 27

The first major vessel and the largest branch arising from the aortic arch It ascends obliquely to the upper border of the right sternoclavicular joint, where it divides into the right common carotid and right subclavian arteries

Question 28

what route does the right common carotid artery follow

Answer 28

Ascends the neck lateral to the trachea to the level of C4, where it divides into the right external and internal carotid arteries

Question 29

what route does the right subclavian artery follow

Answer 29

Curves posterior to the clavicle into the axillary region, where it becomes the right axillary artery

Question 30

what route does the left common carotid artery follow

Answer 30

The second vessel to branch from the aortic arch It arises just behind the left sternoclavicular joint and ascends into the neck along the left side of the trachea to the level of C4, where it bifurcates into the left external and internal carotid arteries

Question 31

what route does the left subclavian artery follow

Answer 31

Arises from the aortic arch posterior to the left common carotid artery and arches laterally toward the axilla in a manner similar to that of the right subclavian artery, where it continues as the left axillary artery

Question 32

what route do the subclavian veins follow

Answer 32

Arise from the axillary veins and course posterior to the clavicles They receive blood from the external jugular veins before uniting with the internal jugular veins behind the sternoclavicular joints, where they continue as the brachiocephalic veins

Question 33

what 3 vessels branch off the aorta?

Answer 33

- brachiocephalic trunk - left common carotid artery - left subclavian artery

Question 34

what route do the left and right brachiocephalic veins follow

Answer 34

Course across the midline, anterior to the branches of the aorta, to unite with the right brachiocephalic vein just posterior to the costal cartilage of the right first rib The union of the two brachiocephalic veins forms the SVC, which empties into the right atrium of the heart

Question 35

what route does the right coronary artery follow

Answer 35

Arises from the base or root of the aorta and passes anteriorly between the pulmonary trunk and right atrium to descend in the coronary groove As it reaches the diaphragmatic surface, it gives off a right marginal branch that runs toward the apex of the heart Then turns to the left and enters the posterior interventricular groove, where it gives off the posterior interventricular branch

Question 36

what route does the left coronary artery follow

Answer 36

Arises from the left aortic sinus and passes to the left between the pulmonary trunk and left atrium to reach the coronary groove Soon after, it divides into the circumflex and left anterior descending (interventricular) arteries

Question 37

what route does the circumflex artery follow

Answer 37

Winds around the left border of the heart to the posterior surface, where it gives off the left marginal artery

Question 38

what route does the left anterior descending artery follow

Answer 38

Descends in the anterior interventricular groove toward the apex of the heart, where it reaches the diaphragmatic surface to anastomose with the posterior descending artery

Question 39

what route does the azygous vein follow

Answer 39

Ascends along the right side of the vertebral column | Arches over the hilum of the right lung to empty into posterior superior vena cava

Question 40

what is the transverse ligament of the thorax

Answer 40

Extends across the vertebral foramen of C1 to form a sling over the posterior surface of the odontoid process It has a small band of longitudinal fibres that ascend to attach to the posteroinferior aspect of the clivus and inferiorly to attach to the body of the axis Holds the odontoild process of C2 against the anterior arch of C1

Question 41

what are the 3 ligaments of the thorax?

Answer 41

Anterior and posterior longitudinal | Transverse ligament of atlas

Question 42

what is the anterior longitudinal ligament

Answer 42

A broad fibrous band that extends downward from C1 along the entire anterior surface of the vertebral bodies to the sacrum Connects the anterior aspects of the vertebral bodies and intervertebral disks to maintain stability of the joints and to help prevent hyperextension of the vertebral column It is thicker in the thoracic region than in the cervical and lumbar regions, providing additional support to the T spine

Question 43

what is the posterior longitudinal ligament?

Answer 43

Lies inside the vertebral canal and runs along the posterior aspect of the vertebral bodies Unlike the anterior longitudinal ligament, it is attached only at the intervertebral disk and adjacent margins It is separated from the middle of each vertebra by epidural fat, which provides passage of the basivertebral veins Runs the entire length of the vertebral column beginning at C2