Mediastinum Explained
Mediastinum |
Latin: | mediastinum[1] |
The mediastinum (from ;[2] : mediastina) is the central compartment of the thoracic cavity. Surrounded by loose connective tissue, it is an undelineated region that contains a group of structures within the thorax, namely the heart and its vessels, the esophagus, the trachea, the phrenic and cardiac nerves, the thoracic duct, the thymus and the lymph nodes of the central chest.
Anatomy
The mediastinum lies within the thorax and is enclosed on the right and left by pleurae. It is surrounded by the chest wall in front, the lungs to the sides and the spine at the back. It extends from the sternum in front to the vertebral column behind. It contains all the organs of the thorax except the lungs. It is continuous with the loose connective tissue of the neck.The mediastinum can be divided into an upper (or superior) and lower (or inferior) part:
- The superior mediastinum starts at the superior thoracic aperture and ends at the thoracic plane.
- The inferior mediastinum from this level to the diaphragm. This lower part is subdivided into three regions, all relative to the pericardium – the anterior mediastinum being in front of the pericardium, the middle mediastinum contains the pericardium and its contents, and the posterior mediastinum being behind the pericardium.
Anatomists, surgeons, and clinical radiologists compartmentalize the mediastinum differently. For instance, in the radiological scheme of Felson, there are only three compartments (anterior, middle, and posterior), and the heart is part of the middle (inferior) mediastinum.[3]
Thoracic plane
The transverse thoracic plane, thoracic plane, plane of Louis or plane of Ludwig is an important anatomical plane at the level of the sternal angle and the T4/T5 intervertebral disc. It serves as an imaginary boundary that separates the superior and inferior mediastinum.[4] [5] [6]
A number of important anatomical structures and transitions occur at the level of the thoracic plane, including:
Superior mediastinum
The superior mediastinum is bounded:
- superiorly by the thoracic inlet, the upper opening of the thorax;
- inferiorly by the transverse thoracic plane. which is an imaginary plane passing from the sternal angle anteriorly to the lower border of the body of the 4th thoracic vertebra posteriorly;
- laterally by the pleurae;
- anteriorly by the manubrium of the sternum;
- posteriorly by the first four thoracic vertebral bodies.
- Contents
Inferior mediastinum
Anterior inferior mediastinum
Is bounded:
- Contents
Middle inferior mediastinum
Bounded: pericardial sac – It contains the vital organs and is classified into the serous and fibrous pericardium.
- Contents
Posterior inferior mediastinum
Is bounded:
- Anteriorly by (from above downwards): bifurcation of trachea; pulmonary vessels; fibrous pericardium and posterior sloping surface of diaphragm
- Inferiorly by the thoracic surface of the diaphragm (below);
- Superiorly by the transverse thoracic plane;
- Posteriorly by the bodies of the vertebral column from the lower border of the fifth to the twelfth thoracic vertebra (behind);
- Laterally by the mediastinal pleura (on either side).
Clinical significance
The mediastinum is frequently the site of involvement of various tumors:
- Anterior mediastinum: substernal thyroid goiters, lymphoma, thymoma, and teratoma.
- Middle mediastinum: lymphadenopathy, metastatic disease such as from small cell carcinoma from the lung.
- Posterior mediastinum: Neurogenic tumors, either from the nerve sheath (mostly benign) or elsewhere (mostly malignant).
Mediastinitis is inflammation of the tissues in the mediastinum, usually bacterial and due to rupture of organs in the mediastinum. As the infection can progress very quickly, this is a serious condition.
Pneumomediastinum is the presence of air in the mediastinum, which in some cases can lead to pneumothorax, pneumoperitoneum, and pneumopericardium if left untreated. However, that does not always occur and sometimes those conditions are actually the cause, not the result, of pneumomediastinum. These conditions frequently accompany Boerhaave syndrome, or spontaneous esophageal rupture.
Widening
Widened mediastinum |
Synonyms: | Mediastinal widening |
Widened mediastinum/mediastinal widening is where the mediastinum has a width greater than 6 cm on an upright PA chest X-ray or 8 cm on supine AP chest film.[7]
A widened mediastinum can be indicative of several pathologies:[8] [9]
See also
External links
- – "Divisions of the mediastinum."
- – "The anatomical divisions of the inferior mediastinum."
- – "Subdivisions of the Thoracic Cavity"
Notes and References
- Web site: A index W LA.
- Web site: Mediastinum dictionary definition - mediastinum defined. www.yourdictionary.com.
- Book: Goodman, Lawrence. Felson's Principles of Chest Roentgenology.
- Web site: Thoracic Wall, Pleura, and Pericardium – Dissector Answers. https://web.archive.org/web/20120901215701/http://anatomy.med.umich.edu/cardiovascular_system/thorax_wall_ans.html. dead. September 1, 2012.
- Web site: Cell Biology and Anatomy - School of Medicine - University of South Carolina. dba.med.sc.edu. 2014-09-22. 2006-09-05. https://web.archive.org/web/20060905063147/http://dba.med.sc.edu/GROSS/practise1.htm. dead.
- Web site: UAMS Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences - Topographical Anatomy of the Thorax. anatomy.uams.edu. 2014-09-22. 2004-08-17. https://web.archive.org/web/20040817005148/http://anatomy.uams.edu/anatomyhtml/topogr_thorax.html. dead.
- Web site: D'Souza. Donna. Thoracic aortic injury Radiology Reference Article Radiopaedia.org. radiopaedia.org.
- 16034263. 2005. Geusens . S. . J. . I.. The widened mediastinum in trauma patients. 12. 4. 179–184. European Journal of Emergency Medicine . Pans. Prinsloo. Fourneau . 10.1097/00063110-200508000-00006.
- 2357135. 1990. Richardson . M. E. . F. B.. The widened mediastinum. Diagnostic and therapeutic priorities. 211. 6. 731–736; discussion 736–7. 1358125. Annals of Surgery. Wilson. Miller. 10.1097/00000658-199006000-00012.
- Chandra S, Laor YG . Lung scan and wide mediastinum . J. Nucl. Med. . 16 . 4 . 324–5 . April 1975 . 1113190 .
- von Kodolitsch Y, Nienaber C, Dieckmann C, Schwartz A, Hofmann T, Brekenfeld C, Nicolas V, Berger J, Meinertz T . . Am J Med . 116 . 2 . 73–7 . 2004 . 14715319 . 10.1016/j.amjmed.2003.08.030.
- Jernigan JA, Stephens DS, Ashford DA, etal . Bioterrorism-related inhalational anthrax: the first 10 cases reported in the United States . Emerging Infect. Dis. . 7 . 6 . 933–44 . 2001 . 11747719 . 10.3201/eid0706.010604 . 2631903.
- Book: Gideon P. Naudé. Fred S. Bongard. Demetrios Demetriades. Trauma secrets. 19 April 2010. 2003. Elsevier Health Sciences. 978-1-56053-506-5. 95–.