Anatomy, Thorax, Mitral Valve

The heart has four chambers; the right and left atria and right and left ventricles. The heart also has valves that help with blood circulation, the mitral and tricuspid valves are called “atrioventricular” because of their location that is between the atriums and ventricles, and the aortic and pulmonary valves are the “arterioventricular” valves located between the ventricles and arteries. (Figure-1) The name of the mitral valve derives from the liturgical headgear (miter) of the Catholic/Christian tradition. The mitral valve also called bicuspid valve, is located between the left atrium and left ventricle and is composed of the mitral annulus, papillary muscles, anterior leaflet, and posterior leaflet and chordae tendinae, all these components form the valve apparatus which prevents the blood backflow from the left ventricle to the left atrium during systole, and during diastole allows normal blood flow from the left atrium to the left ventricle.