Orientation of Heart

Question 1

The heart and roots of the great vessels within the pericardial sac are related _________ to the sternum, costal cartilages and the medial ends of the _____ to _____ ribs on the left side.

Answer 1

Anteriorly
3rd
5th

Question 2

Where are the heart and pericardial sac situated?

Answer 2

Obliquely, lying 2/3 to the left and 1/3 to the right of the medial plane

Question 3

Where is the apex of the heart positioned and how is it formed?

Answer 3

posterior to the left 5th intercostal space in adults and usually 9 cm from the median plane; is formed by the inferolateral part of the left ventricle

Question 4

What is the apex beat?

Answer 4

Its where the sounds of the mitral valve closure are at its maximum

Question 5

What is the base of the heart composed of?

Answer 5

Composed of the left atrium with a lesser contribution by the right atrium.

Question 6

How is the base of the heart positioned?

Answer 6

Faces posteriorly towards the bodies of vertebrae T6-T9 and is separated from them by the pericardium, oblique pericardial sinus, esophagus and aorta.

Question 7

What does the base of the heart receive?

Answer 7

Pulmonary veins on the right and left sides of the left atrium and the superior and inferior venae cavae at the superior and inferior ends of the right atrium.

Question 8

How does the base of the heart extend?

Answer 8

Superiorly to the bifurcation of the pulmonary trunk and inferiorly to the coronary sulcus (groove)

Question 9

What are the 4 surfaces of the heart?

Answer 9

Anterior (sternocostal surface)
Diaphragmatic (inferior) surface
Left pulmonary surface
Right pulmonary surface

Question 10

What is the Anterior (sternocostal) surface formed mainly by?

Answer 10

the right ventricle

Question 11

What is the Diaphragmatic (inferior) surface formed mainly by?

Answer 11

the left ventricle and partly by the right ventricle; also related to the central tendon of the diaphragm.

Question 12

What is the Left pulmonary surface mainly formed by?

Answer 12

the left ventricle and it forms the cardiac impression of the left lung

Question 13

What is the Right pulmonary surface mainly formed by?

Answer 13

The right atrium

Question 14

What are the 4 borders of the heart?

Answer 14

Right
Inferior
Left
Superior

Question 15

What is the Right border and what is its shape?

Answer 15

Formed by the right atrium and extends between the SVC and IVC; slightly convex

Question 16

What is the Inferior border and what is its shape?

Answer 16

It is formed mainly by the right ventricle and only slightly by the left ventricle; nearly horizontal

Question 17

What is the Left border and what is its shape?

Answer 17

Formed mainly by the left ventricle and slightly by the left auricle; oblique

Question 18

What is the Superior Border and what is its shape?

Answer 18

Formed by the right and left atria and auricles in a anterior view.
The ascending aorta and pulmonary trunk emerge from here
SVC enters its right side
Posterior to the aorta and pulmonary trunk and anterior to the SVC, it forms the inferior boundary of the transverse pericardial sinus.