great cardiac vein
Enable an agent to recognise the great cardiac vein, record its individual anatomy and condition, and assess the evidence needed for observation or procedural planning.
Bundle → Layer → Finding → Questions Filled
6 bundles · 11 layers · 16 findings · 30 questions
Identity and segment boundaries Establish what vessel and extent the great cardiac vein label denotes.
Subject and identification
Anchor the vessel to a particular heart and demonstrated anatomy.
Identified great cardiac vein
Record the identification evidence and distinguish a confirmed vessel from a provisional annotation.
- Which individual or specimen, species and heart does this vessel belong to? provenance
- What continuous course and connections support identification as the great cardiac vein? definition
Named extent
Declare the boundaries used for this vessel and its segments.
Segment and sinus demarcation
Preserve the chosen convention for the anterior interventricular portion and the transition to the coronary sinus.
- Does this record include the anterior interventricular vein within the great cardiac vein, and which reference establishes that convention? boundary
- Which observed landmark marks the transition to the coronary sinus, and is that landmark directly visible? boundary
Course and arterial relationships Describe the vein's route and its local relationships to coronary arteries and myocardium.
Groove and wall course
Trace the vessel through anatomical landmarks and establish its relationship to the heart wall.
Observed venous route
Record the actual route rather than completing an incompletely seen vessel from an expected pattern.
- Where does the identifiable vessel begin, and how does it pass from the anterior interventricular region into the left atrioventricular region? measurement
- Which segments are directly shown to be epicardial or intramural, and which remain unresolved? boundary
Coronary crossings
Locate crossings and close approaches involving the anterior interventricular and circumflex arteries.
Individual crossing pattern
Describe each crossing separately; a population pattern does not establish an individual's relationship.
- Where does the vein cross or closely approach the anterior interventricular and circumflex arteries? measurement
- At each crossing, is the vein superficial or deep to the artery, and what observation establishes this? provenance
Tributaries and drainage Map the vein's incoming connections, communications and outflow.
Incoming venous network
Identify tributaries and the myocardial regions they demonstrably connect.
Tributaries and territory evidence
Separate observed tributary junctions from inferred drainage territories.
- Which tributaries are seen entering the great cardiac vein, including any left marginal connection? definition
- Which myocardial drainage regions are demonstrated, and which are inferred from an anatomical reference? provenance
Outflow and communications
Establish the outflow recipient and any connections to other venous routes.
Demonstrated drainage path
Record continuity, alternate connections and measured flow direction as distinct observations.
- Is continuity with the coronary sinus demonstrated, or is another outflow connection observed? boundary
- Are apical or other communications with neighbouring cardiac veins visible? definition
- What evidence establishes actual flow direction through the recorded connections? measurement
Geometry, condition and observation Record reproducible dimensions and distinguish vessel condition from acquisition limitations.
Segment geometry
Measure the lumen and bends using explicit anatomical endpoints.
Localised lumen measurements
Associate measurements with the relevant segment and acquisition conditions.
- What are the measured lumen dimensions and segment length, and where are their endpoints? measurement
- What bend geometry is present where the vessel turns into the atrioventricular region? measurement
- Which modality, cardiac phase and reconstruction method produced these measurements? provenance
Patency and evidence quality
Assess observed abnormalities while retaining uncertainty from incomplete visualisation.
Supported condition assessment
Localise suspected narrowing, obstruction or injury and state whether available evidence resolves it.
- Which segment shows evidence of narrowing, occlusion, dilation or wall injury, and what observation supports that finding? measurement
- Could incomplete contrast filling, motion, limited resolution or specimen preparation explain the appearance? boundary
- What additional observation would resolve an indeterminate condition assessment? action
Procedural route and constraints Relate the observed vessel to a specified coronary venous access or mapping task.
Junctional and route obstacles
Record potential obstacles along the intended segment, including junctional valves.
Observed access constraints
A valve at the great cardiac vein junction is a documented variable feature; record its observation without presuming its presence or absence. See [Anatomy of the coronary sinus and epicardial coronary venous system in 620 hearts](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23066703/).
- Is a valve or other intraluminal obstacle visualised near the great cardiac vein-coronary sinus transition? definition
- Which bends, narrow segments or junction angles constrain the proposed route? measurement
Task-specific suitability
Connect anatomical evidence to a defined procedural question without issuing a treatment decision.
Route assessment with limits
Express suitability as a bounded assessment for a named target and instrument, with unresolved evidence made explicit.
- What target and proposed device route require use of this vein or passage into one of its tributaries? action
- Do observed lumen dimensions, bends, patency and arterial relationships adequately support assessment of that route? action
- Which unresolved anatomical details require specialist review or further imaging before the route can be judged? action
Evidence and external alignment What the world already says about this thing, gathered so the model can be checked against it.
Reported evidence
Findings from the breadth pass, kept separate from the structural claims.
Check these first
Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.
- Which of these check these first hold for the sense of great cardiac vein this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Identifiers and schemes
Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.
- Which of these identifiers and schemes hold for the sense of great cardiac vein this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Standards and regulation
Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.
- Which of these standards and regulation hold for the sense of great cardiac vein this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Real-world use
Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.
- Which of these real-world use hold for the sense of great cardiac vein this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Failure modes and hazards
Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.
- Which of these failure modes and hazards hold for the sense of great cardiac vein this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Neighbouring kinds and how to tell them apart
Recalled without web access and unsourced; every item is a lead to verify.
- Which of these neighbouring kinds and how to tell them apart hold for the sense of great cardiac vein this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Classifiers Filled
- Family
- Thing Registry
- Category
- Physical world and living systems
- Entry kind
- thing
- Plane
- PHY
- Domain
- PHY.OBJ
What it is Filled
The great cardiac vein is a major vein of the heart that ascends in the anterior interventricular groove, turns into the left atrioventricular groove, and drains into the coronary sinus, collecting venous blood from substantial portions of the left ventricle and adjacent myocardium.
In scope
- Identification and naming of the great cardiac vein and its constituent segments
- Course through the anterior interventricular and left atrioventricular regions
- Tributaries, drainage connections and transition to the coronary sinus
- Segment-specific dimensions, patency and flow observations
- Anatomical variations and relationships relevant to imaging or instrumentation
Out of scope
- The heart, organism or species as a whole
- Complete models of the coronary sinus and other cardiac veins
- Coronary arteries except their spatial relationships to this vein
- Disease diagnosis and treatment protocols
- Catheter, pacing lead and imaging-device specifications
- Independent registry entries for segments without an authorised granularity change
Why it exists Filled
Enable an agent to recognise the great cardiac vein, record its individual anatomy and condition, and assess the evidence needed for observation or procedural planning.
Distinguishing features Filled
- Identify the vessel by its connected course from the anterior interventricular region into the left atrioventricular region; location in a single image is insufficient. Anatomical variation is documented in [The great cardiac vein](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1589843/).
- Distinguish it from neighbouring coronary arteries by tracing venous continuity and drainage, rather than assuming a fixed position above or below the arteries; crossing relationships vary. See [The anatomy of the coronary sinus and its tributaries](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11370136/).
- Distinguish it from the coronary sinus by declaring the anatomical landmark and naming convention used at their transition.
- Treat 'anterior interventricular vein' as a terminology boundary requiring explicit mapping: imaging literature may label it separately from the great cardiac vein. See [Assessment of the coronary venous system using 256-slice computed tomography](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25089900/).
- Require continuity with the identified great cardiac vein before assigning an adjacent tributary or an apical communicating vessel to this structure.
What robots and AI may and may not do Filled
Must not
- Perform or guide a cardiac procedure without a qualified clinician in control.
- Interpret a person's cardiac imaging as a diagnosis without clinical review.
- Share identifiable cardiac imaging without consent.
Only with a human decision
- Any decision about a cardiac device lead or catheter placed in the coronary veins.
May
- Describe the great cardiac vein and its course in clear anatomical terms.
- Support authorized clinicians in labelling it on cardiac imaging.
Moral aspects Filled
- Errors in cardiac procedures can cause life-threatening bleeding.
- Patients rely on accurate explanation before consenting to procedures.
Who is affected
- Cardiac patients
- Clinicians and their teams
Owners Filled
Steward
Nobody: part of a person's body; clinicians answer for its care.
Links to other meta-models Filled
parent
- Q66507611 - registry parent class
What else AI and robots need to interact with it Filled
Identity and identifiers required Filled
- Vercy registry: vr.tr.great-cardiac-vein
- Wikidata: Q2886255 (https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2886255)
Direct properties required Filled
- Anatomical subject: Individual or specimen identifier, species and associated heart
- Segment naming convention: Anterior interventricular segment included, separately labelled, or unresolved; cited terminology authority
- Observed course: Ordered anatomical landmarks and reconstructed centreline, with epicardial or intramural relationship where established
- Coronary arterial relationships: Named artery, crossing location, superficial/deep/uncertain relationship and separation in mm if measurable
- Venous connections: Observed tributaries, communications and outflow recipient with connection landmarks
- Luminal geometry: Diameter and segment length in mm; bend angle in degrees; measurement site, method and cardiac phase
- Patency: Patent, narrowed, occluded, indeterminate or not assessed; affected segment and supporting observation
- Flow observation: Direction relative to coronary sinus and velocity in cm/s when measured, with method and acquisition conditions
- Junctional valve observation: Visualised, not visualised, indeterminate or not assessed; position and apparent lumen coverage
- Observation adequacy: Adequate, limited or nondiagnostic for each claim, with modality, date and limitations
Recognition required Filled
- Runs with the anterior interventricular artery in the groove on the front of the heart.
- Curves into the left atrioventricular groove toward the coronary sinus.
Capabilities and actions required Filled
- Trace and annotate the vein on suitable cardiac images or an anatomical specimen.
- Reconcile segment names across anatomical references and clinical reports.
- Map observed tributaries, outflow connections and arterial crossings.
- Compare segment dimensions and patency across adequately matched observations.
- Flag uncertain anatomy or unresolved obstacles for specialist review before instrumentation.
- Assess whether available anatomical evidence is sufficient for a proposed coronary venous route.
Hazards and failure modes required Filled
- Can be injured during cardiac device lead placement or surgery.
- Anatomical variation can mislead procedures.
Standards and interfaces required Filled
- Terminologia Anatomica, Federative International Programme for Anatomical Terminology.
Context of use required Filled
- The great cardiac vein collects blood from parts of the heart muscle and conveys it toward the coronary sinus.
- It is encountered in anatomical study, cardiac imaging and clinical assessment of the coronary venous system.
- Its course and anatomical variation are relevant when interpreting images or planning procedures involving cardiac veins.
Sources Filled
- Wikidata item Q2886255: great cardiac vein - identity and sense of the item
- Wikipedia: Great cardiac vein - general description of the item
Open questions
- Which anatomical terminology authority should govern whether the anterior interventricular vein is included as a segment of this entry?
- Which landmark should define the great cardiac vein-coronary sinus boundary when the oblique atrial vein or a junctional valve is not visible?
- Should the registry entry explicitly cover homologous vessels across species, or should this publication remain human-specific?
- Which segment-specific reference measurements are sufficiently supported across imaging methods, cardiac phases and specimen conditions to permit comparison?
- What evidence is sufficient to distinguish true absence, anomalous outflow and acquired occlusion from failure to visualise this vein?
Machine files
Provenance
thing registry research (pass 2) · unreviewed
Built from: models/things/publications/thing-q2886255/spec.json