Computational Intelligence in Cardiology and Heart Disease Diagnosis - Computational Intelligence in Biomedical Engineering - page 143

Exterior structures of the heart

Arteries to head
and arms

Superior vena cava

Aortic arch

Pulmonary artery

Left atrium

Coronary artery

Left ventricle

Right
atrium

Right ventricle

FIGURE 4.1
Diagram of the human heart depicting the major external structures.
(Reprinted from Yale-New-Haven Hospital website, www.ynhh.com.)

three layers: the smooth inside lining of the heart is called the endocardium ,
whereas the middle layer of heart muscle is called the myocardium that is
surrounded by a fluid-filled sac called the pericardium . The heart is held in
place primarily by the great arteries and veins and by its confinement in the
pericardium, which is a double-walled sac with one layer enveloping the heart
and the other attached to the breastbone, diaphragm, and the membranes of
the thorax.
The endocardium lines the inner chambers of the heart and is composed of
three layers, namely, an outer layer in direct contact with the myocardium, a
middle layer, and the innermost layer (see Figure 4.2). The outermost layer
is composed of irregularly arranged collagen fibers that merge with collagen
surrounding the adjacent cardiac muscle fibers. Collagen is a fibrous structural
protein usually found in connective tissues such as ligaments, tendons, and