Bronchomediastinal trunk

Last revised by Daniel J Bell on 19 Jun 2021

Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data

Citation:

Bell D, Bronchomediastinal trunk. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 23 Apr 2024) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-90500

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-90500

Permalink:

https://radiopaedia.org/articles/90500

rID:

90500

Article created:

19 Jun 2021, Daniel J Bell ◉

Disclosures:

At the time the article was created Daniel J Bell had no recorded disclosures.

View Daniel J Bell's current disclosures

Last revised:

19 Jun 2021, Daniel J Bell ◉

Disclosures:

At the time the article was last revised Daniel J Bell had no recorded disclosures.

View Daniel J Bell's current disclosures

Revisions:

1 time, by 1 contributor - see full revision history and disclosures

Systems:

Vascular, Chest

Sections:

Anatomy

Synonyms:

Right bronchomediastinal trunk
Left bronchomediastinal trunk
Left bronchomediastinal trunks
Right bronchomediastinal trunks
Right bronchomediastinal lymphatic trunk
Left bronchomediastinal lymphatic trunk
Bronchomediastinal trunks
Bronchomediastinal lymphatic trunk
Bronchomediastinal lymphatic trunks
Left bronchomediastinal lymphatic trunks
Right bronchomediastinal lymphatic trunks

The bronchomediastinal trunks (a.k.a. bronchomediastinal lymphatic trunks) are lymphatic trunks, one on each side of the body. On the left, the bronchomediastinal trunk is a tributary of the thoracic duct, and on the right, it is a tributary of the right lymphatic duct. Although, in some individuals, the bronchomediastinal trunks drain directly into their respective brachiocephalic veins ¹.

The bronchomediastinal trunks are partially responsible for returning lymph to the systemic circulation from thoracic structures, for example the lungs.

Valves have been identified close to the junction between the bronchomediastinal trunks and the thoracic duct which are thought to prevent retrograde flow of the lymph ⁴.

Related pathology

There is much interest in the potential for the bronchomediastinal trunks to act as a retrograde route for metastatic cells passing from the thoracic duct back to the mediastinal nodes ⁴.