The chest is the upper part of the trunk, between the neck and abdomen. The chest wall consists of ribs articulating with the spinal column and sternum, and the related muscles.

The diaphragm separates the chest from the abdomen. The lungs fill much of each side of the chest while the heart, the aorta, and other large vessels lie centrally, the heart slightly to the left; the trachea and esophagus pass into the chest from the neck.