Superior Border of the Heart, Anterior View

Description

Oriented in anatomical position, the anterior view of the superior border of the heart brings the right and left atria into the upper field, with the right atrium forming most of the right cardiac border and the left atrial appendage (auricle) projecting anterolaterally on the left. Superiorly, the ascending aorta and pulmonary trunk emerge from the base of the cor, with the superior vena cava entering the right atrium on the patient’s right, and the proximal right and left pulmonary arteries coursing laterally from the pulmonary trunk. Inferior to this border, the anterior surfaces of the right ventricle and the outflow tract of the left ventricle relate to the great vessels at the level of the arterial roots. Base over apex. Reading the superior border from the front matters because it matches what you encounter after median sternotomy and pericardiotomy, when the pericardial reflections and the relationship of the aorta, pulmonary trunk, and superior vena cava guide cannulation and cross-clamp planning. This is also the surface anatomy underlying mediastinal widening and anterior mediastinal masses on chest radiography, where displacement of the great vessels can hint at aneurysm of the ascending aorta, dilatation of the pulmonary trunk in pulmonary hypertension, or enlargement of the right atrium. For electrophysiology, the atrial component reminds you where catheters traverse near the SVC-right atrial junction. Use this artwork in gross anatomy and cardiothoracic surgery teaching to orient learners to the cardiac base, great vessel origins, and atrial contours before moving to sectional imaging or operative photographs. It also suits cardiology texts discussing outflow tract anatomy, pericardial sinuses, and anterior mediastinal relationships. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.