Coronary Arteries of the Male Heart, Anterior View

Description

Anteriorly oriented, the male heart is rendered with the right atrium and right ventricle forming most of the anterior (sternocostal) surface, while the left ventricle contributes the left lateral border and the apex. Red-highlighted coronary arteries course within epicardial fat along the atrioventricular (coronary) sulcus and the anterior interventricular sulcus, with the anterior interventricular artery (left anterior descending, LAD) descending inferiorly toward the apex. Proximally, the left coronary artery emerges between the pulmonary trunk and left auricle before dividing into the LAD and circumflex branches, while the right coronary artery runs along the right atrioventricular groove toward the acute margin. This anterior perspective matters because it matches the operative and angiographic “front-of-heart” mental model used when discussing LAD territory ischemia. Occlusion of the LAD is the classic substrate for an anteroseptal myocardial infarction, and its relationship to the anterior interventricular sulcus helps learners connect surface anatomy to the interventricular septum, the bundle branches, and the characteristic ECG patterns of anterior ST-elevation. Short and direct. It also aligns with where clinicians palpate and conceptualize the apical impulse, which is largely left ventricular. Use this artwork for teaching coronary dominance, proximal-to-distal branching patterns, and the surface landmarks that guide coronary angiography reports in gross anatomy, cardiology, and cardiothoracic surgery curricula. It also fits cleanly into patient-facing and professional publications on coronary artery disease, PCI planning, and bypass graft targets (for example, left internal thoracic artery to LAD). Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.