Lung fissures
Last revised by Ciléin Kearns on 10 Oct 2023
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
Citation:
Knipe H, Yap J, Kearns C, et al. Lung fissures. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 09 Oct 2024) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-22241
Permalink:
rID:
22241
Article created:
22 Mar 2013,
Henry Knipe ◉
Disclosures:
At the time the article was created Henry Knipe had no recorded disclosures.
View Henry Knipe's current disclosures
Last revised:
10 Oct 2023,
Ciléin Kearns ◉
Disclosures:
At the time the article was last revised Ciléin Kearns had no financial relationships to ineligible companies to disclose.
View Ciléin Kearns's current disclosures
Revisions:
16 times, by
11 contributors -
see full revision history and disclosures
Systems:
Sections:
Synonyms:
- Pulmonary fissures
- Pulmonary fissure
- Lung fissure
- Fissures of the lung
- Fissures of the lungs
- Pleural fissures
- Pleural fissure
Lung fissures are double-folds of visceral pleura that either completely or incompletely invaginate lung parenchyma to form the lung lobes.
Each lung has an oblique fissure separating the upper lobes from the lower lobes and the right lung has a horizontal fissure that separates the right upper lobe from the middle lobe.
There are numerous accessory fissures that are common anatomical variants.
Anatomy
The oblique fissure (also known as the major fissure) is similar for both lungs. It extends from the level of the T4/T5 vertebrae posterosuperiorly to the hemidiaphragms anteroinferiorly and is gently undulating in nature. The left oblique fissure has a more vertical course compared to the right oblique fissure 2.
The horizontal fissure (also known as the minor fissure or transverse fissure) is found in the right lung where it separates the upper and middle lobes. It runs horizontally at the level of the right 4th costal cartilage from the hilum to the anterior and lateral surfaces of the right lung. The horizontal fissure is complete in only one-third of people and is absent in 10% of people 2. A less common normal variant of the left upper lobe is a left horizontal fissure.
See also
References
- 1. Hayashi K, Aziz A, Ashizawa K et-al. Radiographic and CT appearances of the major fissures. Radiographics. 21 (4): 861-74. Radiographics (full text) - Pubmed citation
- 2. Stephanie Ryan, Michelle McNicholas, Stephen J. Eustace. Anatomy for Diagnostic Imaging. (2011) Page 125. ISBN: 9780702029714 - Google Books
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