Which valve is the most anterior?

Which valve is the most anterior?

• A. Tricuspid
• B. Mitral
• C. Aortic
• D. Pulmonic

Answer: (D)

Think about how the heart sits in the chest and where each valve lies relative to the sternum. The valve at the origin of the pulmonary trunk travels toward the anterior chest wall to reach the lungs, so it sits closest to the front of the chest. That makes the pulmonic valve the most anterior of the four. The mitral valve sits more toward the left and back between the left atrium and ventricle; the aortic valve is also more posterior as the aorta arches behind the sternum; the tricuspid valve is on the right but does not project as far anterior as the pulmonary valve.

Think about how the heart sits in the chest and where each valve lies relative to the sternum. The valve at the origin of the pulmonary trunk travels toward the anterior chest wall to reach the lungs, so it sits closest to the front of the chest. That makes the pulmonic valve the most anterior of the four. The mitral valve sits more toward the left and back between the left atrium and ventricle; the aortic valve is also more posterior as the aorta arches behind the sternum; the tricuspid valve is on the right but does not project as far anterior as the pulmonary valve.