The pectinate muscles are parallel ridges of muscle on the inner walls of the atria, named for their comb-like appearance. In the right atrium they run forward from the crista terminalis across the front wall and into the auricle. In the left atrium they are confined to the auricle.
| Location | Anterior wall of the right atrium and the right auricle, and the interior of the left auricle. |
|---|---|
| Parts |
|
Allow the thin atrial wall to contract more forcefully and expand without much increase in wall thickness.
The spaces between pectinate muscles in the auricles are where clots tend to form during atrial fibrillation. These ridges can be confused with small clots on echocardiography. Their pattern helps identify the right and left atria in congenital heart disease.
Clot lodging between pectinate muscles in a poorly contracting auricle. It is a source of embolic stroke.
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