Log In. Sign Up. Become a Gold Supporter and see no ads. Log in Sign up. Articles Cases Courses Quiz. About Recent Edits Go ad-free. Edit article. View revision history Report problem with Article. Citation, DOI and article data. Jones, J. Reference article, Radiopaedia. URL of Article. Gross anatomy The mediastinum contains all the thoracic viscera except the lungs: heart and great vessels , internal mammary vessels , proximal aspect of azygos venous system , esophagus , trachea , phrenic nerve , cardiac nerve , supra-aortic and para-aortic bodies , thoracic duct , thymus , and mediastinal lymph nodes.
Anatomical division Division of the mediastinum is generally conceptualized as comprising 3 or 4 compartments, depending on the schema. For example, the mediastinum can be divided into parts based on their relationship to the fibrous pericardium : superior mediastinum : above the upper level of the pericardium and plane of Ludwig inferior mediastinum : below the plane of Ludwig anterior mediastinum : anterior to the pericardium middle mediastinum : within the pericardium posterior mediastinum : posterior to the pericardium Historically, there have been discrepant definitions of the mediastinal compartments between medical disciplines.
Keith L. Moore, Arthur F. Dalley, A. Clinically Oriented Anatomy. Reconciliation of the anatomic, surgical, and radiographic classifications of the mediastinum. A modern definition of mediastinal compartments. Journal of thoracic oncology : official publication of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer. Brett W. Carter, Marcelo F. Benveniste, Rachna Madan, Myrna C. Godoy, Patricia M. Truong, Melissa L. Rosado-de-Christenson, Edith M.
Related articles: Anatomy: Thoracic. Promoted articles advertising. When they are large, they can cause respiratory insufficiency difficulty breathing or getting enough oxygen to the tissues as well as heart problems, such as a drop in blood pressure or decreased blood flow. The age of an individual and the location of a mediastinal mass are important in considering a diagnosis. In children, mediastinal masses occur most often in the posterior mediastinum and are often benign noncancerous.
In contrast, mediastinal masses in adults are more common in the anterior mediastinum and often malignant cancerous. Some causes of mediastinal masses based on location include:.
It's important to note that there are many more causes of abnormalities in the mediastinum, and most often further testing is needed to define the exact cause. The mediastinum may also be included in names of conditions involving this region, such as:. With cancers such as lung cancer and lymphomas, doctors often evaluate the mediastinum to see if any cancer has spread to this region. One procedure that allows surgeons to visualize this area is called a mediastinoscopy. If a cancer has spread to nodes in the mediastinum, it is often treated differently than a cancer that has not spread to this region; the presence of mediastinal lymph nodes is important in the staging of lung cancer.
Mediastinoscopy was a common procedure for those diagnosed with lung cancer, but the same information may sometimes be available now via a PET scan. Examples: Joy had a procedure done to see if her lung cancer had spread to lymph nodes in her mediastinum. The mediastinum is located inside the thoracic cavity the chest area between the lungs.
It is divided into four compartments: the superior, anterior, middle, and posterior. Each one houses different structures such as the heart and arteries. The heart is located within the middle mediastinum, alongside many blood vessels and lymph nodes. The middle mediastinum is its largest compartment. The posterior mediastinum houses the esophagus, the descending thoracic aorta, veins, and nerves.
Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life. Staging lymph node metastases from lung cancer in the mediastinum.
J Thorac Dis. A diagnostic approach to the mediastinal masses. Insights Imaging. Nucl Med Mol Imaging. Mediastinal bronchogenic cyst presenting with dysphagia and back pain. Lung India. J Clin Med. Anatomy, thorax, mediastinum. Updated July 31, Barrington, S. Epub ahead of print. Li, W. Journal of Thoracic Disease. National Library of Medicine. Medline Plus. Mediastinal Tumors. Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for VerywellHealth. At any time, you can update your settings through the "EU Privacy" link at the bottom of any page.
These choices will be signaled globally to our partners and will not affect browsing data. We and our partners process data to: Actively scan device characteristics for identification. I Accept Show Purposes. Table of Contents View All. Table of Contents. Lung cancer may cause a mass in any part of the mediastinum. Frequently Asked Questions Where is the mediastinum located? Where is the heart located in the body?
0コメント