Cardiology>>>>>Adult Congenital Heart Disease and Pregnancy
Question 8#

When describing cardiac anatomy, what does the term ‘situs solitus’ refer to?

A. Normal orientation of the cardiac apex within the thorax, e.g. leftward pointing cardiac apex
B. Normal orientation of the cardiac atria, e.g. morphological left atrium on the left and morphological right atrium on the right
C. Mirror image of the cardiac structures and abdominal viscera, e.g. left-sided structures on the right and vice versa
D. Normal orientation of the cardiac structures but with mirror images of the abdominal viscera
E. Both atria are morphologically left-sided with associated cardiac and visceral organ abnormalities

Correct Answer is B

Comment:

Situs solitus refers to a normal orientation of the cardiac structure and abdominal viscera relative to the midline. For congenital heart disease the anatomy is defined from the atria (e.g. the morphological left atrium can be identified by its appendage but may be on the right side, this is situs inversus).