A cardiologist wants to get the clearest possible images of the heart when using an ultrasound probe. They decide to place a probe into the oesophagus of a patient to look at the posterior part of the heart. Which chamber of the heart is closest to the oesophagus (and ultrasound probe)?

A melanoma is found on the left posterior thorax of a patient, overlying the 10th intercostal space. Which blood vessel most immediately provides venous drainage of this region (and therefore provides a potential path for haematogenous spread of this cancer)?

During some types of heart surgery, the sternum must be cut in half longitudinally (a "median sternotomy") to access the heart. What part of the heart is directly posterior to the sternum, forming most of the anterior surface of the heart, and MOST LIKELY to be injured?

A patient is stabbed in the chest about 1 cm lateral to the sternum (i.e. parasternally). Which structure is MOST LIKELY to have been injured?

Which coronary artery is MOST LIKELY to be occluded?

The patient then develops severe shortness of breath on auscultation, and a new pansystolic murmur is heard on auscultation at a location over the apex beat of the heart. What does this MOST LIKELY represent?

A patient presents with acute chest pain and ST elevation in leads II, III and aVF. Which part of the heart is affected?

The structures that are IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT to the oesophagus at this level include:

A medical student is observing a gastroscopy and notices a narrowing at the end of the oesophagus. The oesophagus otherwise appears normal, so they conclude it is a normal structure (i.e. not the result of pathology). What is MOST LIKELY to be causing this narrowing?

What vertebral level does this narrowing occur at?