Posterior mediastinum
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
Citation:
Shen S, Hacking C, Bell D, et al. Posterior mediastinum. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 22 Mar 2025) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-30563
rID:
30563
Article created:
19 Aug 2014,
Shi Hong Shen
Disclosures:
At the time the article was created Shi Hong Shen had no recorded disclosures.
View Shi Hong Shen's current disclosures
Last revised:
Disclosures:
At the time the article was last revised Craig Hacking had the following disclosures:
- Philips Australia, Paid speaker at Philips Spectral CT events (ongoing)
These were assessed during peer review and were determined to not be relevant to the changes that were made.
View Craig Hacking's current disclosures
Revisions:
14 times, by
10 contributors -
see full revision history and disclosures
Systems:
Sections:
Synonyms:
- Postvascular space
The posterior mediastinum (or paravertebral compartment) is a potential space along the paravertebral sulci. It is conceptually considered a portion of the inferior mediastinum, and separated from the middle mediastinal compartment and the remainder of the extrapleural intrathoracic cavity by arbitrary lines.
On this page:
Article:
Images:
Images:
Gross anatomy
Relations
- superiorly: superior mediastinum
- anteriorly: anterior and middle mediastinum (which form the other compartments of the inferior mediastinum).
It is continuous with the retropharyngeal space via the posterior part of the superior mediastinum.
Contents
- thoracic spine 5
- paraspinal nervous system 6
- thoracic spinal ganglion
- sympathetic trunk and major branches
- rami communicantes of intercostal nerves
- paravertebral soft tissues 5
- proximal intercostal vessels
- distal azygos-hemiazygos venous system 6
Boundaries
- superiorly: thoracic inlet
- inferiorly: diaphragm
- anteriorly: anatomically defined as the posterior pericardium 8 although other definitions describe the anterior border 1 cm posterior to anterior margin of thoracic vertebral bodies 5
- posteriorly: posterior margin of chest wall, along the transverse processes of thoracic vertebrae
- laterally: mediastinal parietal pleura
Related pathology
- wide variety of malignancies, e.g. mesothelioma, lung, neurogenic (e.g. schwannoma), teratoma, lymphoma, sarcoma
- lymphadenopathy
- aortic aneurysm
- extramedullary haematopoiesis
See also
- main article: differential for a posterior mediastinal mass
References
- 1. McMINN. Lasts Anatomy Regional and Applied. CHURCHILL LIVINGSTONE. (2003) ISBN:B0084AQDG8. Read it at Google Books - Find it at Amazon
- 2. Davidescu M1, Motaş N, Bluoss C, Motaş C, Rus O, Horvat T. Neurogenic tumors of the posterior mediastinum. Chirurgia (Bucur). 2011 Mar-Apr;106(2):199-203.
- 3. Kawashima A, Fishman EK, Kuhlman JE et-al. CT of posterior mediastinal masses. Radiographics. 1991;11 (6): 1045-67. doi:10.1148/radiographics.11.6.1749849 - Pubmed citation
- 4. Moore KL, Agur AMR, Dalley AF. Clinically oriented anatomy. LWW. ISBN:1451119453. Read it at Google Books - Find it at Amazon
- 5. Carter BW, Benveniste MF, Madan R, et al. ITMIG Classification of Mediastinal Compartments and Multidisciplinary Approach to Mediastinal Masses. Radiographics. 2017;:160095.
- 6. Shields TW, LoCicero J, Reed CE et al. General Thoracic Surgery. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2009.
- 7. Brett W. Carter, Marcelo F. Benveniste, Rachna Madan, Myrna C. Godoy, Patricia M. de Groot, Mylene T. Truong, Melissa L. Rosado-de-Christenson, Edith M. Marom. ITMIG Classification of Mediastinal Compartments and Multidisciplinary Approach to Mediastinal Masses. (2017) RadioGraphics. 37 (2): 413-436. doi:10.1148/rg.2017160095 - Pubmed
- 8. Susan Standring. Gray's Anatomy. ISBN: 9780702052309
Incoming Links
Articles:
- Posterior mediastinal mass in the exam
- Hemiazygos vein
- Parathyroid 4D CT
- Paraspinal ganglioneuroma
- Neuroblastic tumours
- Cysts of Hattori
- Inferior mediastinum
- Bronchial artery
- Thoracic duct
- Thoracic myelolipoma
- Superior mediastinum
- Middle mediastinum
- Mediastinal paraganglioma
- Mediastinum
- Sympathetic nervous system
- Mediastinal choriocarcinoma
- Ganglioneuroma
- Neuroblastoma
- Pericardial ligaments
- Retroperitoneum
Related articles: Anatomy: Thoracic
- thoracic skeleton
- thoracic cage
- thoracic spine
- articulations
- muscles of the thorax
- diaphragm
- intercostal space
- intercostal muscles
- variant anatomy
- spaces of the thorax
- thoracic viscera
- lower respiratory tract
-
heart
- cardiac chambers
- heart valves
- cardiac fibrous skeleton
- innervation of the heart
- development of the heart
- cardiac wall
-
pericardium
- epicardium
- epicardial fat pad
- pericardial space
- oblique pericardial sinus
- transverse pericardial sinus
-
pericardial recesses
- aortic recesses
- pulmonic recesses
- postcaval recess
- pulmonary venous recesses
- pericardial ligaments
- myocardium
- endocardium
-
pericardium
- oesophagus
- thymus
- breast
- arterial supply of the thorax
-
thoracic aorta (development)
-
ascending aorta
-
aortic root
- aortic annulus
-
coronary arteries
- coronary arterial dominance
- myocardial segments
-
left main coronary artery (LMCA)
- ramus intermedius artery (RI)
-
circumflex artery (LCx)
- obtuse marginal branches (OM1, OM2, etc))
- Kugel's artery
-
left anterior descending artery (LAD)
- diagonal branches (D1, D2, etc)
- septal perforators (S1, S2, etc)
-
right coronary artery (RCA)
- conus artery
- sinoatrial nodal artery
- acute marginal branches (AM1, AM2, etc)
- inferior interventricular artery (PDA)
- posterior left ventricular artery (PLV)
- congenital anomalies
- sinotubular junction
-
aortic root
- aortic arch
- aortic isthmus
- descending aorta
-
ascending aorta
- pulmonary trunk
-
thoracic aorta (development)
- venous drainage of the thorax
- superior vena cava (SVC)
- inferior vena cava (IVC)
-
coronary veins
-
cardiac veins which drain into the coronary sinus
- great cardiac vein
- middle cardiac vein
- small cardiac vein
- posterior vein of the left ventricle
- vein of Marshall (oblique vein of the left atrium)
- anterior cardiac veins
- venae cordis minimae (smallest cardiac veins or thebesian veins)
-
cardiac veins which drain into the coronary sinus
- pulmonary veins
- bronchial veins
- thoracoepigastric vein
- lymphatics of the thorax
- innervation of the thorax
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