The brachiocephalic veins unite to form the superior vena cava behind the lower border of the costal cartilage of the right first rib.
The arch of the aorta begins and ends at the transverse plane between the sternal angle anteriorly and vertebral level TIV/V posteriorly. The arch may reach as high as the midlevel of the manubrium of the sternum.
Visualizing the margins of the heart
Surface landmarks can be palpated to visualize the outline of the heart (Fig. 3.109).