Mnemonic

Cardiac Sulci

A memory aid for the grooves on the surface of the heart and the vessels they carry.

Expansion

Coronary sulcus between atria and ventricles, interventricular sulci between the ventricles

Expansion

  • Coronary (atrioventricular) sulcus - encircles the heart between atria and ventricles. Carries the right coronary artery, the circumflex artery, the small cardiac vein and the coronary sinus
  • Anterior interventricular sulcus - carries the left anterior descending artery and the great cardiac vein
  • Posterior interventricular sulcus - carries the posterior descending artery and the middle cardiac vein

The point where the coronary and interventricular sulci converge posteriorly is the crux of the heart. Whichever artery reaches the crux and supplies the posterior descending branch defines coronary dominance, and the atrioventricular nodal artery usually arises here.