Pulmonary Valve (Heart, Sagittal Section)

Description

Running superior and slightly anterior to the right ventricle, the pulmonary trunk arises from the conus arteriosus (infundibulum) and is guarded at its root by the pulmonary valve, a semilunar valve with three thin cusps meeting centrally along their free margins. A sagittal section through the male heart also places the right ventricular cavity anterior to the left ventricle, with the interventricular septum forming a medial wall between them and the thick left ventricular myocardium visible posteriorly. Superiorly, the aortic root and arch sit posterior to the pulmonary outflow tract, clarifying the normal spatial offset between the two semilunar valves. This cut is a workhorse for teaching right ventricular outflow tract anatomy because it makes the pulmonary valve’s relationship to the infundibulum unambiguous and separates it cleanly from the tricuspid valve apparatus, including chordae tendineae and papillary muscles that should not be present at the semilunar annulus. Clinically, these relationships matter in pulmonary valve stenosis and pulmonary regurgitation, where cusp thickening, dysplasia, or post-intervention annular dilation alters forward flow into the pulmonary artery and changes right ventricular afterload. It is also the view you want when explaining why endocarditis vegetations on semilunar cusps can embolize into the pulmonary circulation rather than the systemic arterial tree. Use this illustration in gross anatomy and cardiothoracic modules to contrast semilunar cusps with atrioventricular leaflets, and in congenital heart disease teaching to orient discussions of RVOT obstruction and repair, including balloon valvuloplasty and pulmonary valve replacement planning. It also suits cardiology texts and patient-facing surgical consent materials where a clear sagittal section helps anchor the pulmonary valve’s location relative to the aorta and interventricular septum. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.