Chordae tendineae
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
Citation:
Hacking C, Bell D, Udayasiri S, Chordae tendineae. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 19 Mar 2025) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-49586
rID:
49586
Article created:
Disclosures:
At the time the article was created Craig Hacking had no recorded disclosures.
View Craig Hacking's current disclosures
Last revised:
Disclosures:
At the time the article was last revised Daniel J Bell had no recorded disclosures.
View Daniel J Bell's current disclosures
Revisions:
4 times, by
3 contributors -
see full revision history and disclosures
Systems:
Sections:
Synonyms:
- Chorda tendinea
- Heart strings
- Heartstrings
The chordae tendineae (singular: chorda tendinea, is rarely used) are thin strong inelastic fibrous cords that extend from the free edge of the cusps of the atrioventricular valves (the tricuspid and mitral valves) to the apices of the papillary muscles within the right and left ventricles respectively. They transmit the force of the contracting papillary muscles during ventricular systole to the cusps of the valves to prevent the valves from prolapsing into the atria due to the higher pressures generated in the ventricles.
History and etymology
Chordae tendineae is Latin for tendinous cords.
References
- 1. Moore KL, Agur AMR, Dalley AF. Clinically oriented anatomy. LWW. ISBN:1451119453. Read it at Google Books - Find it at Amazon
- 2. Last's anatomy, regional and applied. Churchill Livingstone. ISBN:044304662X. Read it at Google Books - Find it at Amazon
Incoming Links
Articles:
- Cardiac valves
- Right ventricle
- Left ventricular false tendon
- Development of the heart
- Infective endocarditis
- Parachute mitral valve
- Point-of-care ultrasound (curriculum)
- Mitral annular disjunction
- Mitral valve prolapse
- Left ventricular ejection fraction (echocardiography)
- Blunt cardiac injury
- Mitral valve stenosis
- Transcatheter mitral valve intervention
- Papillary muscles
- Tricuspid valve
Related articles: Anatomy: Thoracic
- thoracic skeleton
- thoracic cage
- thoracic spine
- articulations
- muscles of the thorax
- diaphragm
- intercostal space
- intercostal muscles
- variant anatomy
- spaces of the thorax
- thoracic viscera
- lower respiratory tract
-
heart
- cardiac chambers
- heart valves
- cardiac fibrous skeleton
- innervation of the heart
- development of the heart
- cardiac wall
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pericardium
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pericardium
- oesophagus
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- breast
- arterial supply of the thorax
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thoracic aorta (development)
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ascending aorta
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aortic root
- aortic annulus
-
coronary arteries
- coronary arterial dominance
- myocardial segments
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left main coronary artery (LMCA)
- ramus intermedius artery (RI)
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circumflex artery (LCx)
- obtuse marginal branches (OM1, OM2, etc))
- Kugel's artery
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left anterior descending artery (LAD)
- diagonal branches (D1, D2, etc)
- septal perforators (S1, S2, etc)
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right coronary artery (RCA)
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- congenital anomalies
- sinotubular junction
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aortic root
- aortic arch
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ascending aorta
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thoracic aorta (development)
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coronary veins
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cardiac veins which drain into the coronary sinus
- great cardiac vein
- middle cardiac vein
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- posterior vein of the left ventricle
- vein of Marshall (oblique vein of the left atrium)
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cardiac veins which drain into the coronary sinus
- pulmonary veins
- bronchial veins
- thoracoepigastric vein
- lymphatics of the thorax
- innervation of the thorax
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