Area Of Cardiac Dullness (Noun)
Meaning
A triangular area of the front of the chest (determined by percussion); corresponds to the part of the heart not covered by the lungs.
Classification
Nouns denoting body parts.
Examples
- The area of cardiac dullness is typically bordered by the fifth left intercostal space medially, the second left intercostal space laterally, and the fifth right intercostal space superiorly, with slight variations from person to person.
- In medical school, students learn to identify the area of cardiac dullness by using percussion to detect the area where the sound is more muffled than in the surrounding areas.
- Percussion of the chest can reveal an enlarged area of cardiac dullness, which may be indicative of certain cardiac conditions, such as pericardial effusion.
- Auscultation of the area of cardiac dullness is also used to assess the sounds of the heart and to identify any abnormal heart sounds.
- On a chest radiograph, the area of cardiac dullness appears as a triangular area on the front of the chest, where the lungs do not overlap the heart.