thoracic diaphragm
Enable an agent to recognise a thoracic diaphragm, record its anatomy and respiratory function, assess documented changes, and identify what further observation or specialist assessment is needed.
Bundle → Layer → Finding → Questions Filled
6 bundles · 11 layers · 16 findings · 26 questions
Anatomical identity and attachments Establishes which diaphragm is represented and how its constituent regions connect to the body.
Subject and part boundaries
Anchors the diaphragm to an individual and distinguishes whole-structure records from regional observations.
Diaphragm subject and region
Record species, developmental stage, laterality and the exact anatomical extent represented.
- Which individual, species and developmental stage does this diaphragm record describe? provenance
- Does the observation concern the whole diaphragm, one hemidiaphragm or a named muscular or tendinous region? boundary
Muscle, tendon and anchorage
Represents muscular portions, the central tendon and peripheral attachments.
Attachment and tendon configuration
Describe observed continuity between muscular regions, the central tendon and skeletal attachment sites.
- Which muscular portions, crura and central tendon boundaries are identifiable in the available evidence? definition
- Which attachment relationships are observed, and which are assumed from a species-specific reference? provenance
Compartment boundary and passages Models the diaphragm's partitioning role and its relationships with structures crossing the thoracoabdominal boundary.
Surfaces and adjacencies
Locates thoracic and abdominal surfaces and relevant neighbouring structures.
Dome position and organ relations
Record dome configuration and adjacent organs without assigning those organs to the diaphragm.
- What are the positions and contours of the two domes under the recorded posture and respiratory phase? measurement
- Which observed relationships involve diaphragm tissue, and which involve adjacent pleura, pericardium or abdominal organs? boundary
Normal passages and discontinuities
Distinguishes expected openings and posterior passage routes from abnormal tissue gaps.
Passage route identification
Identify relationships with the oesophagus, vena cava and aorta using an appropriate anatomical reference.
- Which structure uses each identified opening or posterior route, and what diaphragm tissue bounds that route? boundary
- What evidence distinguishes a normal passage or anatomical variant from a pathological defect? provenance
Respiratory mechanics Connects diaphragm deformation and pressure generation to explicitly recorded breathing conditions.
Excursion and thickening
Records regional movement and thickness changes across the respiratory cycle.
Phase-resolved diaphragm motion
Preserve side, sampling location, respiratory phase and manoeuvre for every movement or thickness measurement.
- What excursion and thickness change were measured on each assessed side, and during which breathing manoeuvre? measurement
- How were posture, respiratory phase, ventilatory assistance and measurement location recorded? provenance
Pressure and mechanical context
Relates diaphragm activity to pressure differences and interaction with the chest wall and abdomen.
Pressure-generation evidence
Record pressure measurements and loading conditions separately from interpretations of diaphragm strength.
- Were thoracic and abdominal pressures measured, and how was transdiaphragmatic pressure calculated? measurement
- What evidence separates active diaphragm contribution from passive displacement or externally assisted inflation? boundary
Motor activation and coordination Represents phrenic motor input and the timing of diaphragm activity within breathing.
Phrenic motor interface
Links each hemidiaphragm to documented motor pathway observations.
Side-specific motor supply
Associate phrenic nerve evidence with the corresponding diaphragm region while preserving uncertainty about causation.
- What anatomical or functional evidence is available for the phrenic motor supply on each side? provenance
- Does the evidence localise a problem to nerve, muscle or neither? boundary
Activation and motion timing
Compares diaphragm activation with airflow, respiratory phase and movement.
Activation-mechanical coupling
Keep electrical activation, tissue movement and pressure generation as separate signals whose timing can be compared.
- How does recorded activation align with inspiration, expiration and diaphragm movement? measurement
- What additional observation would clarify a mismatch between activation and mechanical response? action
Development, integrity and change Captures developmental context, structural abnormalities and longitudinal functional observations.
Developmental and structural state
Describes tissue formation, continuity and configuration with evidence for congenital or acquired origin.
Defect versus altered configuration
Record a tissue defect separately from elevation or altered contour, and link diagnoses only when supported.
- Is tissue continuity preserved, and what are the location and dimensions of any documented defect? measurement
- What evidence supports developmental variation, congenital abnormality, acquired injury or an unresolved origin? provenance
Functional change and review
Tracks observed impairment, recovery and intervention-associated changes under comparable conditions.
Longitudinal diaphragm state
Compare dated structural and functional observations while retaining measurement limitations and unresolved explanations.
- Which changes in continuity, excursion, thickening or pressure generation remain after accounting for differences in measurement conditions? measurement
- Which unresolved findings require further observation or qualified review before an intervention is considered? action
Evidence and external alignment What the world already says about this thing, gathered so the model can be checked against it.
Reported evidence
Findings from the breadth pass, kept separate from the structural claims.
Check these first
Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.
- Which of these check these first hold for the sense of thoracic diaphragm this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Identifiers and schemes
Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.
- Which of these identifiers and schemes hold for the sense of thoracic diaphragm this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Standards and regulation
Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.
- Which of these standards and regulation hold for the sense of thoracic diaphragm this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Real-world use
Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.
- Which of these real-world use hold for the sense of thoracic diaphragm this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Failure modes and hazards
Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.
- Which of these failure modes and hazards hold for the sense of thoracic diaphragm this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Neighbouring kinds and how to tell them apart
Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.
- Which of these neighbouring kinds and how to tell them apart hold for the sense of thoracic diaphragm this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Classifiers Filled
- Family
- Thing Registry
- Category
- Physical world and living systems
- Entry kind
- thing
- Plane
- PHY
- Domain
- PHY.LIV
What it is Filled
The thoracic diaphragm is a dome-shaped musculotendinous partition between the thoracic and abdominal cavities in mammals whose contraction increases thoracic volume and provides the principal muscular action for inspiration.
In scope
- Muscular portions, central tendon, hemidiaphragms and their attachments
- Separation of thoracic and abdominal compartments and structures passing through or behind the diaphragm
- Diaphragmatic contraction, excursion, thickening and contribution to pressure generation
- Phrenic motor supply and coordination with respiratory activity
- Developmental variation, structural defects and documented functional impairment
Out of scope
- The whole organism, its taxonomy and population conservation status
- Lung tissue, airways, pleura and gas exchange as independently modelled systems
- The pelvic diaphragm and other anatomical structures called diaphragms
- The complete nervous system and central control of breathing
- Diaphragmatic hernia, neuromuscular disease and other disorders as independent disease models
- Ventilators, imaging devices and surgical procedures as independently modelled tools or interventions
Why it exists Filled
Enable an agent to recognise a thoracic diaphragm, record its anatomy and respiratory function, assess documented changes, and identify what further observation or specialist assessment is needed.
Distinguishing features Filled
- Occupies the thoracoabdominal boundary, distinguishing it from the pelvic diaphragm at the pelvic outlet.
- Combines skeletal muscle with a central tendon, distinguishing it from a passive serous membrane such as the pleura.
- Has peripheral attachments and a domed resting configuration rather than the segmental arrangement of intercostal muscles.
- Changes configuration during contraction and contributes to inspiration, distinguishing it from a fixed partition.
- Has characteristic passage relationships with the oesophagus, major vessels and other structures; an opening must be distinguished from a pathological discontinuity.
What robots and AI may and may not do Filled
Must not
- Diagnose a diaphragm injury, paralysis or hernia in a specific person without a clinician.
- Advise a person to ignore sudden breathlessness or chest pain after trauma.
- Recommend breathing exercises or devices as a substitute for treatment of a diagnosed breathing disorder.
- Share a person's imaging or respiratory data beyond their care team.
Only with a human decision
- Any decision on treatment or ventilation for a patient with diaphragm weakness.
May
- Explain the diaphragm's anatomy and role in breathing from medical and anatomical sources.
- Label the diaphragm on anatomical images for teaching.
Moral aspects Filled
- Breathing failure from diaphragm weakness is life-threatening and needs prompt clinical care.
- Patient imaging and records are private health data.
Who is affected
- Patients
- People on ventilators
- Clinicians
Owners Filled
Steward
The patient with their treating clinicians; nobody owns the anatomical structure.
Links to other meta-models Filled
parent
- Q112826975 - registry parent class
- Q66505015 - registry parent class
What else AI and robots need to interact with it Filled
Identity and identifiers required Filled
- Vercy registry: vr.tr.thoracic-diaphragm
- Wikidata: Q9654 (https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q9654)
Direct properties required Filled
- Anatomical subject: Individual organism; species; life stage
- Region and laterality: Whole diaphragm; right or left hemidiaphragm; muscular portion; central tendon; specified attachment or opening
- Attachment configuration: Observed sternal, costal and lumbar attachment relationships, qualified by species
- Thickness: mm, with region, respiratory phase, posture and method
- Respiratory excursion: mm or cm, with side, direction, manoeuvre, posture and measurement method
- Thickening fraction: %, with measured thicknesses, calculation convention and breathing manoeuvre
- Transdiaphragmatic pressure: cmH2O, with abdominal and thoracic pressure methods, sign convention and manoeuvre
- Motion pattern: Direction, amplitude, symmetry and timing; reduced, absent or paradoxical motion when supported; unknown
- Structural continuity: Intact; defect documented; indeterminate, with location and extent
- Motor supply relationship: Right and left phrenic nerve relationships; documented integrity or uncertainty
Recognition required Filled
- A dome-shaped sheet of muscle and central tendon separating the chest from the abdomen.
- On chest images, a curved line under the lungs, usually higher on the right side.
Capabilities and actions required Filled
- Identify and annotate diaphragm regions, attachments and passage relationships in anatomical records or imaging.
- Compare side-specific motion and thickness observations acquired under stated conditions.
- Link activation, pressure and movement evidence to assess whether a functional interpretation is supported.
- Record the location and extent of a documented defect or altered configuration.
- Track changes before and after a documented intervention using comparable observations.
- Flag missing evidence and formulate questions for qualified anatomical or clinical review.
Hazards and failure modes required Filled
- Paralysis or rupture of the diaphragm can cause breathing failure.
- A hernia through the diaphragm can trap abdominal organs in the chest.
Standards and interfaces required Filled
- Terminologia Anatomica, issued by the Federative International Programme for Anatomical Terminology, provides standard terminology for the human diaphragm and its anatomical parts.
- The International Classification of Diseases, issued by the World Health Organization, classifies human conditions involving the diaphragm, including diaphragmatic hernia.
Context of use required Filled
- The thoracic diaphragm separates the chest and abdominal cavities in mammals and provides the main muscular action for breathing in.
- Its anatomy and movement are examined in respiratory medicine, surgery and imaging when assessing breathing function or structural abnormalities.
Sources Filled
- Wikidata item Q9654: thoracic diaphragm - identity and sense of the item
- Wikipedia: Thoracic diaphragm - general description of the item
Open questions
- Does the registry intend this entry to cover mammalian thoracic diaphragms generally or specifically human anatomy?
- Which species-specific anatomical references should establish attachment, passage and developmental terminology?
- Which reference ranges and acquisition protocols are suitable for excursion, thickness, thickening fraction and pressure measurements across life stages?
- What evidence standards should distinguish weakness, paralysis, eventration, rupture and herniation without inferring a diagnosis from a single observation?
- Does an existing Vercy world model already own this anatomical concept, requiring this registry entry to link to that publication?
Machine files
Provenance
thing registry research (pass 2) · unreviewed
Built from: models/things/publications/thing-q9654/spec.json