Extrathorakal

Extrathorakal is a medical term used to describe structures, diseases, or processes located outside the thoracic cavity, i.e., outside the chest. It is used to differentiate findings that occur in regions such as the head and neck, abdomen, pelvis, or limbs from those within the chest.

Origins and spelling: The term derives from Latin extra-, outside, and thorax, chest. In English, extrathoracic is the common spelling, but extrathoracal or extrathorakal are used in some languages or older texts. The term may be found in radiology, oncology, anatomy, and surgical literature.

Clinical use: In radiology and oncology, clinicians describe extrathorakal disease to indicate lesions, lymph nodes, or metastases located outside the thoracic cavity. For example, extrathorakal lymphadenopathy refers to enlarged lymph nodes outside the chest, such as in the neck or abdomen. Distinguishing extrathorakal from intrathoracic findings guides diagnostic workup and treatment planning. Imaging modalities commonly assess extrathorakal sites using CT, MRI, ultrasound, or PET-CT.

See also: intrathoracic, thorax, metastasis, lymphadenopathy.