Lung fissures

Last revised by Liz Silverstone ◉ ◈ on 12 Mar 2023

Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data

Citation:

Knipe H, Silverstone L, Chieng R, et al. Lung fissures. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 24 Mar 2023) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-22241

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-22241

Permalink:

https://radiopaedia.org/articles/22241

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:

12 Mar 2023, Liz Silverstone ◉ ◈

Disclosures:

At the time the article was last revised Liz Silverstone had no financial relationships to ineligible companies to disclose.

View Liz Silverstone's current disclosures

Revisions:

16 times, by 9 contributors - see full revision history and disclosures

Systems:

Chest

Sections:

Anatomy

Tags:

stub, refs, lungs, pleura

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

Oblique fissure (also known as major fissure) is similar for both lungs. It extends from the level of 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.

A transverse fissure (also known as a minor fissure) is only found in the right lung. It separates the upper and middle lobes of the right lung. The transverse fissure runs horizontally at the level of right fourth costal cartilage from the hilum to the anterior and lateral surfaces of the right lung. The fissure is complete in only one-third of the subjects and is absent in 10% of the subjects ².