Carina
Last revised by Sonam Vadera ◉ on 27 Aug 2019
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
Citation:
Smith D, Vadera S, Hacking C, et al. Carina. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 24 Sep 2023) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-31435
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rID:
31435
Article created:
9 Oct 2014, Derek Smith ◉
Disclosures:
At the time the article was created Derek Smith had no recorded disclosures.
View Derek Smith's current disclosuresLast revised:
27 Aug 2019, Sonam Vadera ◉
Disclosures:
At the time the article was last revised Sonam Vadera had no recorded disclosures.
View Sonam Vadera's current disclosuresRevisions:
10 times, by 6 contributors - see full revision history and disclosures
Systems:
Sections:
The carina is the sagittally-oriented cartilaginous ridge at the bifurcation of the trachea and is an important reference point in chest imaging.
Gross anatomy
The carina represents the inferior termination of the trachea into the right and left main bronchi.
The carina usually sits at the level of the sternal angle and the T4/T5 vertebral level in the thoracic plane.
History and etymology
"Carina" ultimately derives from Latin, meaning "keel of a boat" 1. The term was originally used in botany to indicate a projecting ridge on the back of an organ.
References
- 1. Skinner HA. Origin of Medical Terms. Hafner Publishing Co Ltd. ISBN:0028523903. Read it at Google Books - Find it at Amazon
- 2. Susan Standring. Gray's Anatomy. ISBN: 9780702052309
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