Azygo-esophageal recess
Last revised by Joshua Yap on 27 Apr 2023
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
Citation:
Knipe H, Yap J, Bell D, et al. Azygo-esophageal recess. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 19 Apr 2024) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-23645
Permalink:
rID:
23645
Article created:
Disclosures:
At the time the article was created Henry Knipe had no recorded disclosures.
View Henry Knipe's current disclosures
Last revised:
Disclosures:
At the time the article was last revised Joshua Yap had no financial relationships to ineligible companies to disclose.
View Joshua Yap's current disclosures
Revisions:
8 times, by
6 contributors -
see full revision history and disclosures
Systems:
Sections:
Tags:
Synonyms:
- azygo-esophageal line
- azygo-esophageal interface
- azygo-oesophageal line
- azygo-oesophageal interface
- azygoesophageal line
- azygoesophageal interface
- azygooesophageal line
- azygooesophageal interface
- Azygooesophageal recess
- Azygo-esophageal recess
- Azygoesophageal recess
The azygo-esophageal recess (AER), also known as the azygo-esophageal line or interface, is a prevertebral space formed by the interface of the posteromedial segments of the right lower lobe and the azygos vein and esophagus 1-3. The azygo-esophageal recess extends from the azygos arch to the aortic hiatus and has the following borders 1,2:
anteromedially: esophagus, azygos vein, left atrium
posteriorly: vertebral column
inferiorly: right hemidiaphragm
superiorly: continuous with the subcarinal space
Radiographic features
Plain radiograph
It appears as a straight stripe running from the azygos arch to the level of the right hemidiaphram, but can normally deviate 1-3:
upper third: a rightward convexity may be normal in children and young adults
middle third: may be slightly leftward convex relative to the right lung near the hilum
lower third: usually straight
Related pathology
Deviation of the azygo-esophageal recess can also be due to disease in the middle or posterior mediastinum.
References
- 1. Gibbs JM, Chandrasekhar CA, Ferguson EC et-al. Lines and stripes: where did they go?--From conventional radiography to CT. Radiographics. 27 (1): 33-48. doi:10.1148/rg.271065073 - Pubmed citation
- 2. Marano R, Liguori C, Savino G et-al. Cardiac silhouette findings and mediastinal lines and stripes: radiograph and CT scan correlation. Chest. 01;139 (5): 1186-96. doi:10.1378/chest.10-0660 - Pubmed citation
- 3. Whitten CR, Khan S, Munneke GJ et-al. A diagnostic approach to mediastinal abnormalities. Radiographics. 2007;27 (3): 657-71. Radiographics (full text) - doi:10.1148/rg.273065136 - Pubmed citation
Incoming Links
Related articles: Chest
- imaging techniques
-
chest radiograph
- radiography
-
approach
- ABCDE
- ABCDEFGHI
- congenital heart disease
- medical devices in the thorax
- common lines and tubes
- nasogastric tubes
- endotracheal tubes
- central venous catheters
- esophageal temperature probe
- tracheostomy tube
- pleural catheters
- cardiac conduction devices
- prosthetic heart valve
- review areas
-
airspace opacification
- differential diagnoses of airspace opacification
- lobar consolidation
-
atelectasis
- mechanism-based
- morphology-based
- lobar lung collapse
- chest x-ray in the exam setting
- cardiomediastinal contour
- chest radiograph zones
- tracheal air column
- fissures
- normal chest x-ray appearance of the diaphragm
- nipple shadow
-
lines and stripes
- anterior junction line
- posterior junction line
- right paratracheal stripe
- left paratracheal stripe
- posterior tracheal stripe/tracheo-esophageal stripe
- posterior wall of bronchus intermedius
- right paraspinal line
- left paraspinal line
- aortic-pulmonary stripe
- aortopulmonary window
- azygo-esophageal recess
- spaces
- signs
- air bronchogram
- big rib sign
- Chang sign
- Chen sign
- coin lesion
- continuous diaphragm sign
- dense hilum sign
- double contour sign
- egg-on-a-string sign
- extrapleural sign
- finger in glove sign
- flat waist sign
- Fleischner sign
- ginkgo leaf sign
- Golden S sign
- Hampton hump
- haystack sign
- hilum convergence sign
- hilum overlay sign
- Hoffman-Rigler sign
- holly leaf sign
- incomplete border sign
- juxtaphrenic peak sign
- Kirklin sign
- medial stripe sign
- melting ice cube sign
- more black sign
- Naclerio V sign
- Palla sign
- pericardial fat tag sign
- Shmoo sign
- silhouette sign
- snowman sign
- spinnaker sign
- steeple sign
- straight left heart border sign
- third mogul sign
- tram-track sign
- walking man sign
- water bottle sign
- wave sign
- Westermark sign
- HRCT
-
chest radiograph
- airways
- bronchitis
- small airways disease
-
bronchiectasis
- broncho-arterial ratio
- related conditions
- differentials by distribution
- narrowing
-
tracheal stenosis
- diffuse tracheal narrowing (differential)
-
bronchial stenosis
- diffuse airway narrowing (differential)
-
tracheal stenosis
- diverticula
- pulmonary edema
-
interstitial lung disease (ILD)
- Anti-Jo-1 antibody-positive interstitial lung disease
- drug-induced interstitial lung disease
-
hypersensitivity pneumonitis
- acute hypersensitivity pneumonitis
- subacute hypersensitivity pneumonitis
- chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis
- etiology
- bird fancier's lung: pigeon fancier's lung
- farmer's lung
- cheese workers' lung
- bagassosis
- mushroom worker’s lung
- malt worker’s lung
- maple bark disease
- hot tub lung
- wine maker’s lung
- woodsman’s disease
- thatched roof lung
- tobacco grower’s lung
- potato riddler’s lung
- summer-type pneumonitis
- dry rot lung
- machine operator’s lung
- humidifier lung
- shower curtain disease
- furrier’s lung
- miller’s lung
- lycoperdonosis
- saxophone lung
-
idiopathic interstitial pneumonia (mnemonic)
- acute interstitial pneumonia (AIP)
- cryptogenic organizing pneumonia (COP)
- desquamative interstitial pneumonia (DIP)
- non-specific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP)
- idiopathic pleuroparenchymal fibroelastosis
- lymphoid interstitial pneumonia (LIP)
- respiratory bronchiolitis–associated interstitial lung disease (RB-ILD)
- usual interstitial pneumonia / idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (UIP/IPF)
-
pneumoconioses
- fibrotic
- non-fibrotic
-
lung cancer
-
non-small-cell lung cancer
-
adenocarcinoma
- pre-invasive tumors
- minimally invasive tumors
- invasive tumors
- variants of invasive carcinoma
- described imaging features
- adenosquamous carcinoma
- large cell carcinoma
- primary sarcomatoid carcinoma of the lung
- squamous cell carcinoma
- salivary gland-type tumors
-
adenocarcinoma
- pulmonary neuroendocrine tumors
- preinvasive lesions
-
lung cancer invasion patterns
- tumor spread through air spaces (STAS)
- presence of non-lepidic patterns such as acinar, papillary, solid, or micropapillary
- myofibroblastic stroma associated with invasive tumor cells
- pleural invasion
- vascular invasion
- tumors by location
- benign neoplasms
- pulmonary metastases
- lung cancer screening
- lung cancer staging
-
non-small-cell lung cancer
Unable to process the form. Check for errors and try again.