What is the name of the mitral valve?

• A. Tricuspid
• B. Aortic valve
• C. Pulmonary valve
• D. Bicuspid

Answer: (D)

Valves are named partly by how many leaflets (cusps) they have and where they are located. The mitral valve sits between the left atrium and left ventricle and is defined by having two leaflets, the anterior and posterior. That two-leaflet design is why the old, descriptive name bicuspid is used for this valve. In contrast, valves with three cusps—like the tricuspid valve on the right side and the semilunar aortic and pulmonary valves on the outflow tracts—do not match the mitral valve’s two-leaflet structure. So the best name that matches the mitral valve’s anatomy is bicuspid, reflecting its two cusps and its role as the left atrioventricular valve.