Potential space

In anatomy, a potential space is a space that can occur between two adjacent structures that are normally pressed together. The pleural cavity, between the visceral and parietal pleura of the lung, is sometimes referred to as a potential space, although, strictly speaking, it contains some fluid and is therefore an actual space, albeit a small one.

Examples

• costodiaphragmatic recess
• pericardial cavity

References

• Guyton, Arthur (2006). Textbook of Medical Physiology. St. Louis: Elsevier Saunders. ISBN 978-0-7216-0240-0.