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Location and Orientation of the Heart

Location and Orientation of the Heart

The human heart, despite its modest size and weight, is an organ of remarkable strength and endurance. Roughly the size of a fist, the heart weighs between 250 and 350 grams and is nestled within the mediastinum, the medial cavity of the thorax. It extends obliquely for about 12 to 14 cm, resting on the superior surface of the diaphragm. The heart is positioned anterior to the vertebral column and posterior to the sternum, with two-thirds of its mass lying to the left of the midsternal line.

Heart Sounds

Heart Sounds

Heart sounds are generated by the turbulence in blood flow due to the closing of heart valves. These sounds are best perceived slightly away from the valves, where the blood flow disseminates the sound.
Auscultation is the process of listening to these internal body sounds using a stethoscope. The heart produces four types of sounds, but only two—S1 and S2—can usually be heard with a stethoscope.
S1, also known as the "lub" sound, is caused by the closure of atrioventricular (A-V) valves at the...

Anatomy of the Heart

Anatomy of the Heart

The human heart is made up of three layers of tissue that are surrounded by the pericardium, a membrane that protects and confines the heart. The outermost layer, closest to the pericardium, is the epicardium. The pericardial cavity separates the pericardium from the epicardium. Beneath the epicardium is the myocardium, the middle layer, and the endocardium, the innermost layer. There are four chambers of the heart: the right atrium, the right ventricle, the left atrium, and the left ventricle.

Anatomy of the Heart

Anatomy of the Heart

The heart is a hollow, muscular organ approximately the size of a fist, consisting of four chambers. It is enclosed in the pericardium, a fibrous sac with two layers: the visceral and parietal pericardium, separated by a fluid-filled space containing serous fluid to reduce friction.
The heart has three layers: the innermost endocardium, the muscular myocardium, and the outer epicardium, all working together for optimal cardiac function.
Chambers of the Heart
The heart is made up of four...

Layers of the Heart Wall

Layers of the Heart Wall

The heart wall comprises three distinct layers: the epicardium, myocardium, and endocardium. The outermost layer, the epicardium, is the visceral layer of the serous pericardium, featuring a thin, transparent mesothelial surface and an inner layer of areolar connective tissue with fat deposits that increase with age.
The myocardium, the thickest layer, consists of cardiac muscle cells interconnected by intercalated discs and crisscrossing connective tissue fibers. These muscle fibers contract...

Overview of the Heart

Overview of the Heart

The heart, a muscular organ located in the chest, functions as the body's pump, circulating blood through the vascular system. It has four chambers: two atria on top and two ventricles below. The right atrium receives deoxygenated blood from the body and passes it to the right ventricle, which pumps it to the lungs for oxygenation. The left atrium receives oxygenated blood from the lungs and transfers it to the left ventricle, which pumps it to the rest of the body.
The heart's structure...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 18, 2026

Ultrasonographic Assessment During Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

Ultrasonographic Assessment During Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

Published on: October 24, 2020

Alarm!!! A UFO inside the heart.

Giuseppe Santoro¹, Biagio Castaldi, Carola Iacono

¹Pediatric Cardiology, A.O.R.N. Ospedale dei Colli, II University of Naples, Naples, Italy. santoropino@tin.it

Journal of Cardiovascular Medicine (Hagerstown, Md.)

|September 8, 2012

Summary

Transcatheter closure of a coronary sinus atrial septal defect was attempted in a child. The Amplatzer device was positioned unusually, resembling a spaceship, requiring careful monitoring.

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Ultrasonographic Assessment During Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

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Area of Science:

Pediatric Cardiology
Interventional Cardiology
Congenital Heart Disease

Background:

Coronary sinus atrial septal defects (ASDs) are rare congenital heart anomalies.
Significant left-to-right shunting can lead to right chamber volume overload.
Surgical repair is the traditional treatment, but transcatheter closure is increasingly explored.

Observation:

An 8-year-old asymptomatic child presented with a coronary sinus ASD.
The defect's anatomy appeared favorable for transcatheter closure.
An Amplatzer Septal Occluder device was deployed.

Findings:

Post-procedural echocardiography revealed unusual device positioning.
The occluding device was nearly perpendicular to the atrial septum.
The device appeared to float above the mitral valve orifice.

Implications:

This case highlights the importance of detailed echocardiographic assessment post-device deployment.
Unusual device orientation may necessitate close follow-up for potential complications.
Further research is needed to evaluate the long-term outcomes of such anatomies and device placements.