Thoracic Duct

In human anatomy, the thoracic duct is an important part of the lymphatic system - it is the largest lymphatic vessel in the body. It collects most of the lymph in the body (except that from the head and right arm) and drains into the systemic (blood-) circulation.

In adults, the thoracic duct typically is 38-45cm in length. It usually starts from the level of the second lumbar vertebra and extends to the neck.

It originates in the abdomen from the confluence of various abdominal lymph vessels. It extends vertically in the chest and curves posterior to the left carotid artery and left jugular vein to empty into the junction of the left subclavian vein and left jugular vein, near the shoulders. It traverses the diaphragm at the aortic aperture and ascends the posterior mediastinum between the descending thoracic aorta (to its left) and the azygos vein (to its right).

Frequency of Internet Keywords: Thoracic Duct

The following statistics estimate the number of searches per day across the major English-language search engines as identified by various trade publications. Hyperlinks lead to commercial use of the expression at Amazon.com.

Modern Translations: Thoracic Duct

Language		Translations for "thoracic duct"; alternative meanings/domain in parentheses.
Danish		ductus thoracicus. (various references)

Dutch		ductus thoracicus, borstbuis. (various references)

French		canal thoracique. (various references)

German		Ductus thoracicus, Ductus chyliferus. (various references)

Pig Latin		oracicthay uctday

Spanish		conducto torácico. (various references)
Source: compiled by the editor from various translation references.

Anagrams: Thoracic Duct

Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams
	Words within the letters "a-c-c-c-d-h-i-o-r-t-t-u"
	-4 letters: cartouch, cathodic, dictator, outcatch, thoracic, trochaic.
	-5 letters: acrotic, auditor, cactoid, carotid, chaotic, chariot, citator, cochair, daturic, haircut, haricot, octadic, outchid, ricotta.
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. SCRABBLE® is a registered trademark. All intellectual property rights in and to the game are owned in the U.S.A and Canada by Hasbro Inc., and throughout the rest of the world by J.W. Spear & Sons Limited of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc. Mattel and Spear are not affiliated with Hasbro.