Cardiac region

In surface anatomy, the cardiac region is the left superficial region of the thorax located over the heart, caudal to the tricipital margin. It is used for the auscultation of the heart and is enlarged by advancing the thoracic limb.

The term cardiac region may be confusing, as it has different meanings across sources:

• In thoracic/cardiac anatomy, the term may refer to the anatomical region occupied by the heart within the thorax (and not only the superficial projection of the heart on the left wall of thorax)

• In gastric anatomy, the cardiac region (or cardia) refers to the area of the stomach immediately surrounding and adjacent to the cardioesophageal junction, the point where the esophagus meets the stomach. It is named for its proximity to the heart.