Which structure is not typically visible on the anterior surface of the heart?

Which structure is not typically visible on the anterior surface of the heart?

• A. Pulmonary veins
• B. Right atrium
• C. Right ventricle
• D. Ascending aorta

Answer: (A)

The front surface of the heart (sternocostal surface) is mainly formed by the right ventricle, with a portion of the right atrium also contributing. From this view you can often see the origins and course of the great vessels, particularly the ascending aorta as it rises from the base and the pulmonary trunk as it leaves the right ventricle and moves upward. The pulmonary veins, however, are not seen on the anterior surface. They run on the posterior aspect of the heart, draining oxygenated blood from the lungs into the left atrium and passing behind the left atrium and the base of the heart. Because they lie behind these structures, they’re not visible from the front; you’d observe them best from the posterior view.

The front surface of the heart (sternocostal surface) is mainly formed by the right ventricle, with a portion of the right atrium also contributing. From this view you can often see the origins and course of the great vessels, particularly the ascending aorta as it rises from the base and the pulmonary trunk as it leaves the right ventricle and moves upward. The pulmonary veins, however, are not seen on the anterior surface. They run on the posterior aspect of the heart, draining oxygenated blood from the lungs into the left atrium and passing behind the left atrium and the base of the heart. Because they lie behind these structures, they’re not visible from the front; you’d observe them best from the posterior view.