Chest anatomy: heart, lungs and ribs
The chest lies between the neck and the abdomen, in the space enclosed by the rib cage: twelve pairs of ribs, twelve thoracic vertebrae and the sternum in front. It holds the two lungs, with the heart between them in the middle, slightly to the left, and the trachea, oesophagus and aorta pass through it. Its floor is the diaphragm, the muscle that separates it from the abdomen.
Frequently asked questions
How many ribs are there?
There are twelve pairs of ribs, 24 in all. Ribs 1 to 7 are true ribs, ribs 8 to 10 are false ribs, and ribs 11 and 12 are floating ribs.
Where in the chest is the heart?
Between the two lungs, behind the sternum, with about two thirds of it to the left of the midline. The left lung has two lobes, leaving room for the heart; the right lung has three.
What separates the chest from the abdomen?
The diaphragm, a dome-shaped muscle attached around the lower edge of the rib cage. It contracts and moves down when we breathe in.
Organs of the chest
Parts in the chest
- Right atrium
- Right ventricle
- Left atrium
- Left ventricle
- Aorta
- Pulmonary trunk
- Superior vena cava
- Trachea
- Right upper lobe
- Right middle lobe
- Right lower lobe
- Left upper lobe
- Left lower lobe
- Oesophagus
Bones of the chest
- First rib
- Sixth rib
- Eleventh rib
- Twelfth rib
- First thoracic vertebra (T1)
- Twelfth thoracic vertebra (T12)
- Clavicle
- Scapula
Joints of the chest
Bone counts
Compare
Other regions
Read more
- The human skeleton in 3D
- BAHI BODY 3D human body
- Chronic Disease Is Systemic Breakdown: chapter summaries
- Blog
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