Anatomy of the heart overview

The mediastinum occupies the center of the thoracic cavity between the pulmonary viscera. It spans superiorly at the level of the thoracic aperture, inferiorly at the diaphragm, and from the sternum to the costal cartilages and bodies of vertebrae T1 to T12 antero-posteriosly. With the exception of the lungs, the mediastinum involves all thoracic viscera. For the purpose of description, the mediastinum is divided into superior, middle and inferior sections. The heart, its roots of the great vessels (ascending aorta, pulmonary trunk, superior vena cava), and the pericardium occupy the middle mediastinum.

The pericardium is a double-walled sac containing the heart and the roots of the great vessels.

Right atrium is one of the four chambers of the heart located above the right ventricle and receives deoxygenated blood from inferior vena cava, superior vena cava and coronary sinus. This deoxygenated blood from the right atrium then passes through the tricuspid valve into the right ventricle.

Left atrium is located at the base of the heart above the left ventricle. It receives oxygenated blood through pulmonay veins and pumps the blood to the left ventricle through the mitral valve.

Right ventricle is a triangular chamber extending from the right atrium to the cardiac apex and receives deoxygenated blood from the right atrium. It pumps this blood into the lungs through the pulmonary artery for oxygenation.

Left ventricle comprises the bulk of the myocardium and receives oxygenated blood from the left atrium through the mitral valve and pumps the same blood into the aorta via the aortic valve.

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