The mediastinum (from Medieval Latin: mediastinus, lit. 'midway'; [2]pl.: mediastina) is the central compartment of the thoracic cavity. Surrounded by loose connective tissue, it is a region that contains vital organs and structures within the thorax, mainly the heart and its vessels, the esophagus, the trachea, the vagus, phrenic and cardiac nerves, the thoracic duct, the thymus and the lymph nodes of the central chest. Figure 3 - Mediastinum and thorax : Illustrations and anatomical cross-sections The different anatomical charts are organized in their representation of the general anatomy of the mediastinum and thoracic cavity, then its structure in details and finally the anatomical sections are available at the end of the module: Mediastinum : Anterior view The mediastinum is a space in the thorax that contains a group of organs, vessels, nerves, lymphatics and their surrounding connective tissue. It lies in the midline of the chest between the pleura of each lung. It extends anterior to posterior fr...
