Midclavicular line

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Midclavicular line
Surface lines of the front of the thorax and abdomen. (Midclavicular line not labeled, but region visible near "mammary line". Note that "mammary line" should not be confused with "mammillary line", which would be a vertical line through the nipple.)
Latin	linea medioclavicularis
Gray's	subject #284 1309
Dorlands/Elsevier	l_10/12496224

The midclavicular line (or midclavicular plane) is a vertical line crossing through the clavicle.

Clinical significance

It is useful for evaluating hepatomegaly and identifying heart sounds, as well as finding the gallbladder. (The gallbladder is at the intersection of the midclavicular line and the transpyloric plane.)

See also

• Sagittal plane

External links

• midclavicular+line at eMedicine Dictionary
• Diagram at rnceus.com (scroll down to second diagram)
• Diagram at University of Glasgow
• Diagram at illustratedclinicalanatomy.co.uk (see item #10 in figure 5.1
• Naylor C, McCormack D, Sullivan S (1987). "The midclavicular line: a wandering landmark.". CMAJ 136 (1): 48-50. PMID 2947672.
• MedEd at Loyola MEDICINE/PULMONAR/apd/lines.htm

v • d • e General anatomy of torso
Thorax/ Thoracic cavity	Mediastinum (Superior, Anterior, Middle, Posterior) • Superior thoracic aperture • Inferior thoracic aperture • Triangle of auscultation • Intercostal space • Thoracic plane • Thoracic wall/Thoracic cage - fascia (Pectoral fascia, Clavipectoral fascia, Thoracolumbar fascia) • Chest • Midsternal line
Thoracic diaphragm	openings (Caval opening, Esophageal hiatus, Aortic hiatus, Foramina of Morgagni) • Central tendon • Crus of diaphragm • arcuate ligaments (Lateral, Medial, Median)
Abdomen/ Abdominal cavity	Retroperitoneum • Paracolic gutters • Hepatobiliary triangle anterior abdominal wall (Arcuate line, Linea alba, Tendinous intersection, Linea semilunaris, McBurney's point, Traube's space, Inguinal triangle) • Inguinal canal (Deep inguinal ring, Superficial inguinal ring, Intercrural fibers, Crura of superficial inguinal ring) • Lumbar triangle • regions (Epigastrium, Hypochondrium, Umbilical region, Latus, Hypogastrium, Inguinal region) • planes (Transpyloric plane, Intertubercular plane, Midclavicular line) fascia (Fascia of Camper, Fascia of Scarpa, Transversalis fascia, Renal fascia, Rectus sheath)
Pelvis/ Pelvic cavity	Pelvic floor • Retropubic space fascia (Pelvic fascia, Superior fascia of diaphragm of pelvis, Inferior fascia of diaphragm of pelvis, Fascia of the Obturator internus, Tendinous arch, Iliac fascia, Iliopectineal fascia)
Perineum	Anal triangle (Ischioanal fossa, Pudendal canal, Anococcygeal raphe) Urogenital triangle (Superficial perineal pouch, Deep perineal pouch) Perineal body fascia (Dartos/fascia of perineum/superficial perineal fascia/Fascia of Colles, Perineal membrane/"Inferior fascia of UGD", "Superior fascia of UGD")

v • d • e Anatomical planes
Sagittal plane	Median plane - Midclavicular line
Transverse plane	Thoracic plane - Transpyloric plane - Subcostal plane - Umbilical plane - Intertubercular plane - Interspinous plane
Coronal plane	Sternal plane - Midcoronal plane

Acknowledgement and Attribution Regarding Sources of Content

Some of the initial content on this page may be incorporated in part from copyleft sources in the public domain including wikis such as Wikipedia and AskDrWiki. Drug information for patients came from the The National Library of Medicine. Infectious disease information may have come from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Differential Diagnoses are drawn from clinicians as well as an amalgamation of 3 sources: 1.The Disease Database; 2. Kahan, Scott, Smith, Ellen G. In A Page: Signs and Symptoms. Malden, Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishing, 2004:3; 3. Sailer, Christian, Wasner, Susanne. Differential Diagnosis Pocket. Hermosa Beach, CA: Borm Bruckmeir Publishing LLC, 2002:7 .