Apex (medicine)
Apex refers to the highest or most pointy end of a cone or pyramid-shaped structure. While the term “tip” is generally used for structures outside of the body (such as the tip of the nose or the tip of the tongue), “apex” is preferred for structures inside the body.
Examples
- The apex of the lung refers to the uppermost part of the lung (apex pulmonis),
- The apex of the heart refers to the lowest but pointy tip of the heart (apex cordis in Latin),
- The apex beat is the pulsation or movement felt on the chest wall when the heart contracts. It is typically located at the fifth intercostal space in the midclavicular line and corresponds to the position of the apex of the heart.
- The apex of a tooth refers to the tip of its root.
- The orbital apex refers to the posterior and deepest part of the eye socket or orbit. The orbit is a bony pyramid with four walls.
- Apex of the bladder: The apex of the bladder is the highest point of the bladder. It is the portion located opposite to the neck of the bladder.