Concepts of Cardiovascular Ultrasound - Heart Anatomy & Hemodynamics

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering heart anatomy, pericardium, chambers, valves, and great vessels as described in the lecture notes.

Epicardium

Outer layer of the heart wall; the visceral layer of the serous pericardium that covers the heart and great vessels.

Myocardium

Middle, muscular layer of the heart responsible for pumping; contains cardiac muscle and myofibrils.

Endocardium

Inner lining of the heart chambers and valves; thin endothelial tissue.

Pericardium

Fluid-filled sac surrounding the heart; provides protection and allows smooth movement.

Fibrous Pericardium

Outer connective tissue layer that covers the heart and great vessels.

Serous Pericardium

Double-layered portion of the pericardium with parietal and visceral layers.

Parietal Pericardium

Outer layer of the serous pericardium that lines the fibrous pericardium.

Visceral Pericardium

Inner layer of the serous pericardium; also called the epicardium, adheres to the heart surface.

Pericardial Space

Space between the parietal and visceral serous pericardium; normally contains 10–30 mL of fluid.

Oblique Sinus

Posterior free space where the pericardium covers the posterior aspect of the pulmonary veins.

Transverse Sinus

Space behind the base of the great vessels where the pericardium covers the aorta and pulmonary arteries.

Pericardial Effusion

Abnormal accumulation of fluid in the pericardial sac that can affect heart movement and hemodynamics.

Atria

The two upper chambers of the heart; receive blood and have appendages.

Right Atrium (RA)

Receiving chamber with smooth posterior sinus venosus region and anterior pectinate-muscle region; contains the Crista terminalis.

Left Atrium (LA)

Receives oxygenated blood from the four pulmonary veins; mainly smooth with a pectinate appendage.

Ventricles

The two lower chambers that pump blood out of the heart; right to lungs, left to the body.

Right Ventricle (RV)

Anterior chamber with thinner walls; inflow tract, apex with trabeculations, and outflow tract to the pulmonary valve.

Left Ventricle (LV)

Thickest chamber; pumps to the body; contains inflow tract, apex, and LVOT.

Interatrial Septum (IAS)

Wall that divides the right and left atria.

Fossa Ovalis

Remnant of the fetal foramen ovale located in the IAS.

Crista Terminalis

Internal ridge in the right atrium separating smooth sinus from the pectinate muscle region.

Sulcus Terminalis

External groove marking the boundary between the sinus venosus region and the auricle in the RA.

Superior Vena Cava (SVC)

Large vein returning deoxygenated blood from the head, neck, and arms to the RA.

Inferior Vena Cava (IVC)

Large vein returning deoxygenated blood from the body below the diaphragm to the RA; contains vestigial Eustachian valve.

Eustachian Valve

Vestigial valve at the IVC opening into the RA; part of the Chiari network.

Thebesian Valve

Vestigial valve at the coronary sinus ostium entering the RA.

Coronary Sinus

Venous channel draining deoxygenated blood from the heart into the RA.

Pulmonary Veins

Four veins that return oxygenated blood from the lungs to the LA.

Aorta

Largest artery; carries oxygenated blood from the LV to the body; connected via the aortic root.

Pulmonary Artery

Carries deoxygenated blood from the RV to the lungs; branches into right and left pulmonary arteries.

Coronary Arteries

Arteries that run on the heart’s surface to supply the heart muscle with blood.

Coronary Sulcus (Atrioventricular groove)

Groove that encircles the heart and marks the boundary between atria and ventricles.

Anterior Interventricular Sulcus

Groove on the heart surface that separates the ventricles on the front.

Atrioventricular Valves

Valves between atria and ventricles (tricuspid on the right, mitral on the left); open in diastole.

Tricuspid Valve

Right AV valve with three leaflets; anchors to the ventricular wall via papillary muscles and chordae.

Mitral Valve

Left AV valve with two leaflets; known for its 'fish mouth' appearance; anchored by an annulus, chordae, and papillary muscles.

Semilunar Valves

Valves between ventricles and great vessels (pulmonic and aortic); open in systole; have three cusps/leaflets.

Pulmonic Valve

Semilunar valve between the RV and the pulmonary artery; has three cusps (anterior, right, and posterior).

Aortic Valve

Semilunar valve between the LV and the aorta; three cusps (left coronary, right coronary, non-coronary).

Annulus

Fibrous ring that anchors each valve’s leaflets.

Chordae Tendineae

Tendinous cords that tether valve leaflets to papillary muscles to prevent prolapse.

Papillary Muscles

Muscles that anchor the chordae; in the RV: anterior, posterior, medial; in the LV: typically anterior and posterior.

Interventricular Septum (IVS)

Separation between the RV and LV; mostly muscular with a small membranous portion.

IVS Regions

Inlet region, trabecular region, and infundibular/outlet region of the IVS.

LVOT

Left Ventricular Outflow Tract; from the MV annulus to the AV annulus, including the LVOT region.

RVOT

Right Ventricular Outflow Tract; from the TV annulus toward the pulmonic valve; includes the infundibulum.