precordial

Precordial refers to the precordium, the region of the chest wall that overlies the heart and lower mediastinum. The term derives from Latin precordium, meaning “before the heart.” In humans, the precordial area is the anterior chest over the heart and is used to describe surface landmarks for examination and the projection of cardiac activity onto the chest wall.

In cardiology, precordial pertains to the precordial leads of the electrocardiogram (ECG)—V1 through V6—which are placed on the chest to obtain horizontal views of the heart’s electrical activity.

During a physical exam, clinicians examine the precordial area by inspecting and palpating for the point of maximal impulse (PMI), typically in the left fifth intercostal space at the midclavicular line, and by auscultating for heart sounds and murmurs.

Precordial symptoms such as precordial pain may indicate cardiac ischemia or other thoracic conditions; a precordial friction rub can occur with pericarditis. Radiographically, the heart’s silhouette is described relative to the precordial region on chest imaging.

See also: precordium, electrocardiography, chest radiography.