nomenclature

Last reviewed 01/2018

The aortic valve leaflets are called a variety of terms depending on the means of classification:

• according to embryological origin: based on the division of the embryonic truncus arteriosus into pulmonary trunk and aorta
• according to the anatomical position in the mature heart
• according to the relationship to the coronary arteries

Hence, with respect to the above systems, the following are the terms for the three leaflets:

• right; anterior; right coronary leaflet
• left; left posterior; left coronary leaflet
• posterior; right posterior; non-coronary leaflet