Lung hilum
The lung hila or roots are found on the medial aspect of each lung. The left and right lung roots are similar but not identical.
Gross anatomy
Left hilum
In the left hilum the left pulmonary artery occupies the upper part. Below this is the left main bronchus. There are two pulmonary veins, one lies in front, and the other lies below the left main bronchus.
Right hilum
In the right hilum the bronchus of the upper lobe and the branch of the right pulmonary artery to the upper lobe originate prior to entering the hilum. Thus, the upper lobe bronchus and artery are found above the level of the right main bronchus and right pulmonary artery. The arteries lie in front of their respective bronchi. The two pulmonary veins are similar to that of the left side, one in front and one below the right main bronchus.
The structures of the lung hilum are enclosed in a sleeve of pleura continuous below with the pulmonary ligament.
In addition to the structures described above, each root contains bronchial vessels, autonomic nerves, lymph nodes and lymphatic channels.
Related Radiopaedia articles
Anatomy: Thoracic
- thoracic skeleton
- thoracic cage
- thoracic spine
- articulations
- muscles of the thorax
- diaphragm
- intercostal space
- intercostal muscles
- variant anatomy
- spaces of the thorax
- thoracic viscera
- tracheobronchial tree
-
lungs
-
bronchopulmonary segmental anatomy (Boyden Classification) (mnemonic)
- left lung
- right lung
- variant anatomy
- lung parenchyma
- hilum
- pleura
-
bronchopulmonary segmental anatomy (Boyden Classification) (mnemonic)
-
heart
- cardiac chambers
- heart valves
- pectinate muscles
- cardiac fibrous skeleton
- coronary arteries
- innervation of the heart
- fetal circulation
-
pericardium
- pericardial space
- oblique pericardial sinus
- transverse pericardial sinus
-
pericardial recesses
- aortic recesses
- pulmonic recesses
- postcaval recess
- pulmonary venous recesses
- pericardial ligaments
- epicardial fat pad
- esophagus
- thymus
- breast
- blood supply of the thorax
- arteries
-
thoracic aorta (development)
- ascending aorta
- aortic arch
- aortic isthmus
- descending aorta
- pulmonary trunk
-
thoracic aorta (development)
- veins
- superior vena cava (cavoatrial junction)
- inferior vena cava
-
coronary veins
- cardiac veins which drain into the coronary sinus
- great cardiac vein
- middle cardiac vein
- small cardiac vein
- posterior vein of the left ventricle
- vein of Marshall (oblique vein of the left atrium)
- anterior cardiac veins
- venae cordis minimae (smallest cardiac veins or thebesian veins)
- cardiac veins which drain into the coronary sinus
- pulmonary veins
- arteries
- lymphatics
- innervation of the thorax
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