The pericardial cavity is located inside which structure?

The pericardial cavity is located inside which structure?

• A. Mediastinum
• B. Pleural cavity
• C. Abdominal cavity
• D. Pelvic cavity

Answer: (A)

The key idea is where the heart sits within the chest. The pericardial cavity is the small fluid-filled space inside the pericardial sac that surrounds the heart, and it’s located within the mediastinum—the central compartment of the thoracic cavity. So the pericardial cavity is inside the mediastinum. The pleural cavities are the spaces around the lungs, the abdominal cavity is below the diaphragm, and the pelvic cavity is even lower still; none of those contain the heart or its surrounding pericardial space.

The key idea is where the heart sits within the chest. The pericardial cavity is the small fluid-filled space inside the pericardial sac that surrounds the heart, and it’s located within the mediastinum—the central compartment of the thoracic cavity. So the pericardial cavity is inside the mediastinum. The pleural cavities are the spaces around the lungs, the abdominal cavity is below the diaphragm, and the pelvic cavity is even lower still; none of those contain the heart or its surrounding pericardial space.