Subtle Chamber Anatomy
This atrial structure serves as the origin point for pectinate muscles in the right atrium.
What is the crista terminalis?
How many chambers are in the human heart?
What is four?
What valve separates the right atrium from the right ventricle?
What is the tricuspid valve?
Which vessel brings deoxygenated blood from the upper body into the heart?
What is the superior vena cava?
What is the name of the muscle cells of the heart?
What are myocytes?
This rare embryologic remnant may be seen connecting the IVC region to the RA wall.
What is the Chiari network?
Which chambers serve as the “waiting rooms” of the heart?
What are the atria?
Which valve is known as a bicuspid valve?
What is the mitral valve?
What artery carries deoxygenated blood to the lungs?
What is the pulmonary artery?
Which layer of the heart wall is responsible for contraction?
What is the myocardium?
This ventricular chamber is considered more anterior despite contributing less to total ventricular mass.
What is the right ventricle?
What septum separates the left and right atria?
What is the interatrial septum?
What structures prevent AV valve leaflets from prolapsing into the atria?
What are the chordae tendineae?
What vessels return oxygenated blood from the lungs to the heart?
What are the pulmonary veins?
What is the lubricated space between the heart and the pericardium called?
What is the pericardial space?
This structure allows the RV to electrically and mechanically coordinate contraction between the septum and free wall
What is the moderator band?
Which ventricle contributes most of the total ventricular muscle mass?
What is the left ventricle?
Name the three cusps of the aortic valve.
What are the right coronary cusp, left coronary cusp, and non-coronary cusp?
Place these in order: RV, PA, lungs, LA.
What is right ventricle → pulmonary artery → lungs → left atrium?
Which pericardial layer provides the most protection to the heart?
What is the fibrous pericardium?
Explain why the interventricular septum is functionally part of the left ventricle rather than a shared wall.
What is because the septum contributes primarily to left ventricular pressure generation and functions as part of the LV wall?
Why is the interventricular septum considered more functionally part of the LV than the RV?
What is because the septum functions as part of the left ventricular wall and contributes to LV contraction?
Explain how papillary muscles and chordae tendineae work together during ventricular contraction.
What is papillary muscles contract to tension the chordae, preventing AV valve prolapse during systole?
Explain why pulmonary circulation operates at lower pressures than systemic circulation.
What is the lungs require low pressure to protect delicate pulmonary tissue?
List the heart wall layers in correct order from inside to outside.
What is endocardium → myocardium → epicardium (visceral pericardium) → pericardial space → serous pericardium → fibrous pericardium?