area of cardiac dullness

8.8

A triangular area on the front of the chest where the heart makes a dull sound when tapped

noun
/ˈɛəriə əv ˈkɑrdɪæk ˈdʌlnəs/

Specialized

: área de matidez cardíaca

The doctor tapped gently to locate the area of cardiac dullness during the physical examination.

Examples

An enlarged heart can increase the size of the area of cardiac dullness detected by percussion.
Knowledge of the area of cardiac dullness can assist in diagnosing certain cardiac conditions.
The area of cardiac dullness is located near the heart.
Is the area of cardiac dullness larger in older patients?
The doctor tapped gently to locate the area of cardiac dullness during the physical examination.
An enlarged heart can increase the size of the area of cardiac dullness detected by percussion.
Knowledge of the area of cardiac dullness can assist in diagnosing certain cardiac conditions.

Synonyms

precordium

vsarea of cardiac dullness

Specialized

9.9

The area on the front of the chest over the heart

is a small triangular zone found by tapping where lungs leave heart exposed

Surface Forms

area of cardiac dullness singular

areas of cardiac dullness plural

Morphology

area + of + cardiac + dullness

The phrase is compositionally built from 'area' (region) + 'cardiac' (heart-related) + 'dullness' (reduced resonance), so a learner who knows the constituents can infer a general meaning of a region near the heart that is 'dull'. However, 'dullness' here has a specific clinical sense (percussion finding) and the precise anatomical/diagnostic implication requires medical knowledge beyond B1, so the meaning is only partially predictable.

Etymology

Area of cardiac dullness comes from a simple chest test: when a doctor gently 'taps' the chest, the place over the heart makes a 'dull' sound while the air-filled lungs sound hollow. So the area of cardiac dullness is the place doctors use to 'find' the size and place of the heart.