Crux cordis

The crux cordis or crux of the heart (from Latin "crux" meaning "cross") is the area on the lower back side of the heart where the coronary sulcus (the groove separating the atria from the ventricles) and the posterior interventricular sulcus (the groove separating the left from the right ventricle) meet.^[1] It is important surgically because the atrioventricular nodal artery, a small but vital vessel, passes in proximity to the crux of the heart.^[2] It is the anastomotic point of right and left coronary artery.

Back side and base of the heart. The coronary sinus (labeled) runs in the coronary sulcus; the middle cardiac vein (labeled) runs in the posterior interventricular sulcus. The two sulci meet in the crux cordis.

References

1. Magherini, Andrea; Azzolina, Gaetano; Careri, Jeanine (February 1984). "Anatomy of the echocardiographic crux cordis in the evaluation of the spectrum of atrioventricular valve atresia". International Journal of Cardiology. 5 (2): 163–172. doi:10.1016/0167-5273(84)90140-2. ISSN 0167-5273. PMID 6698643.
2. Vieira, T. H. M.; Moura, P. C.; Vieira, S. R. C.; Moura, P. R.; Silva, N. C.; Wafae, G. C.; Ruiz, C. R.; Wafae, N. (2008-03-01). "Anatomical indicators of dominance between the coronary arteries in swine". Morphologie. 92 (296): 3–6. doi:10.1016/j.morpho.2008.04.005. ISSN 1286-0115. PMID 18501658.