Superior pulmonary sulcus

Last revised by Craig Hacking on 14 Jan 2020

Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data

Citation:

Khader.O.Thabet M, Hacking C, Elfeky M, et al. Superior pulmonary sulcus. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 24 Apr 2024) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-26495

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-26495

Permalink:

https://radiopaedia.org/articles/26495

rID:

26495

Article created:

24 Dec 2013, Mohammed Al Khader.O.Thabet

Disclosures:

At the time the article was created Mohammed Al Khader.O.Thabet had no recorded disclosures.

View Mohammed Al Khader.O.Thabet's current disclosures

Last revised:

14 Jan 2020, Craig Hacking ◉ ◈

Disclosures:

At the time the article was last revised Craig Hacking had no recorded disclosures.

View Craig Hacking's current disclosures

Revisions:

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

Systems:

Chest

Sections:

Anatomy

Tags:

stub, refs

Synonyms:

Superior pulmonary sulci
Superior sulcus
Superior sulci
Apical pleuropulmonary groove

The superior pulmonary sulcus (or just the superior sulcus) has been variously and inconsistently used in the past to refer to various structures in the pulmonary apex, both extrapulmonary and also a groove in the lung surface itself. It is now the majority opinion that no such structure exists; indeed the Nomina Anatomica stated that the sulcus was an anatomical furrow in the vertebrae caused by the posterior most portion of the rib as it passed anterior to the spinal column ¹.

It arose from Pancoast's mistaken belief that the entity he described originated from an extrapulmonary tissue ². By the same token, it is advised that the term superior sulcus tumour should be abandoned in favour of Pancoast tumour or simply apical lung tumour. As long ago as 1956, an article stated that the use of this term by specialists was already obsolete ¹.