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Glite Dictionary
endocardium

endocardium

1 9.0
Thin inner layer that lines the heart chambers and valves
  • noun
  • /ˌɛndəˈkɑrdiəm/
  • Specialized
translation icon : endocardio
  • Recent studies have shown that inflammation can damage the endocardium and lead to heart complications.
  • endocardium and myocardium

Examples

  • During surgery, the doctor carefully examined the endocardium and its connection to the heart valves.

  • The most vulnerable part of the valve is the endocardium, which lines the valves.

    Academic text (2007)

  • It is larger in the epicardium and diminishes towards the endocardium.

    Academic text (2016)

  • In addition to affecting the cardiac valves, rheumatic heart disease is a pancarditis affecting, to various degrees, the endocardium, myocardium, and pericardium.

    Academic text (2007)

  • Histologically, they are granulomatous lesions localized mainly in the endocardium, subendocardium, or perivascular regions of the myocardial interstitium.

    Academic text (2007)

  • The endocardium is a crucial layer that protects the inner chambers of the heart.

Surface Forms

endocardium singular
endocardia plural

Morphology

endocardium = cardium (opaque) = endo + cardi + um

Although formed by the productive prefix 'endo-' attached to 'cardium', these combining forms are specialized medical elements unfamiliar to an average B1 learner.

Etymology

Endocardium comes from Greek parts: endo- meaning 'inside' and cardium meaning 'heart', the same root you see in cardiac and cardio. So the endocardium is the thin layer that sits 'inside the heart' and lines its chambers.