Cardiac notch

Definition

The cardiac notch is an indentation on the surface of the left lung that accommodates the heart, allowing it to fit snugly within the thoracic cavity. This anatomical feature ensures that the space occupied by the lungs is shaped to allow room for the adjacent heart.

Related terms

Left Lung: The smaller of the two lungs in humans, divided into two lobes and housing the cardiac notch.

Thoracic Cavity:

The body cavity that contains the heart and lungs, protected by the rib cage and separated from the abdominal cavity by the diaphragm.

Diaphragm:

A dome-shaped muscular partition separating the thorax from the abdomen in mammals, playing a major role in breathing by contracting and flattening to enlarge the thoracic cavity