Oblique pericardial sinus
The oblique pericardial sinus is a blind-ending pericardial cul-de-sac behind the heart which opens into the pericardial space proper inferiorly.
Gross anatomy
It's boundaries are:
- right (in ascending order): inferior vena cava, right inferior pulmonary vein and right superior pulmonary vein
- superior: it is separated from the transverse pericardial sinus above by a double reflection of serous pericardium that extends transversely between the left and right superior pulmonary veins
- left (in ascending order): left inferior pulmonary vein and left superior pulmonary vein
Anteriorly lies the heart, specifically the posterior wall of the left atrium and posteriorly the pericardium and esophagus.
Several pericardial recesses form small pockets that may extend from or towards the oblique sinus, which may mimic mediastinal lymph nodes or disease:
- aortic recesses
- pulmonic recesses
- postcaval recess
- pulmonary venous recesses
Related Radiopaedia 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
- tracheobronchial tree
-
lungs
-
bronchopulmonary segmental anatomy (Boyden Classification) (mnemonic)
- left lung
- right lung
- variant anatomy
- lung parenchyma
- hilum
- pleura
-
bronchopulmonary segmental anatomy (Boyden Classification) (mnemonic)
-
heart
- cardiac chambers
- heart valves
- pectinate muscles
- cardiac fibrous skeleton
- coronary arteries
- innervation of the heart
- fetal circulation
-
pericardium
- pericardial space
- oblique pericardial sinus
- transverse pericardial sinus
-
pericardial recesses
- aortic recesses
- pulmonic recesses
- postcaval recess
- pulmonary venous recesses
- pericardial ligaments
- epicardial fat pad
- esophagus
- thymus
- breast
- blood supply of the thorax
- arteries
-
thoracic aorta (development)
- ascending aorta
- aortic arch
- aortic isthmus
- descending aorta
- pulmonary trunk
-
thoracic aorta (development)
- veins
- superior vena cava (cavoatrial junction)
- inferior vena cava
-
coronary veins
- cardiac veins which drain into the coronary sinus
- great cardiac vein
- middle cardiac vein
- small cardiac vein
- posterior vein of the left ventricle
- vein of Marshall (oblique vein of the left atrium)
- anterior cardiac veins
- venae cordis minimae (smallest cardiac veins or thebesian veins)
- cardiac veins which drain into the coronary sinus
- pulmonary veins
- arteries
- lymphatics
- innervation of the thorax
Unable to process the form. Check for errors and try again.