Ventrikeli

Ventrikeli is the anatomical term for a hollow chamber or cavity within an organ that contains a fluid or gas. In human anatomy, the term is most commonly used to refer to the heart ventricles and to the brain’s ventricular system. The word is used in several languages; for example, in Finnish ventrikeli denotes the ventricle.

In the heart, there are two ventricles: the right ventricle and the left ventricle. The right ventricle receives blood from the right atrium and pumps it to the lungs via the pulmonary artery. The left ventricle receives blood from the left atrium and pumps it to the systemic circulation via the aorta. The left ventricle has thicker muscular walls to generate higher pressure. Ventricles contract in coordination with atria and valves to maintain unidirectional blood flow; dysfunction can lead to heart failure or valvular disease.

In the brain, the ventricular system consists of two lateral ventricles, the third ventricle, and the fourth ventricle. These cavities produce cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) via the choroid plexuses and circulate it through the ventricular system and into the subarachnoid space. Obstruction, overproduction, or poor absorption of CSF can cause hydrocephalus and raised intracranial pressure. Imaging methods such as CT and MRI are used to assess ventricular size and structure.

Etymology: ventricle derives from Latin venticulus, small belly. The term is widely used in anatomy to describe similar cavities in various organs and species.