Terminal bronchiole

Last revised by Tom Foster on 2 Nov 2019

Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data

Citation:

Ling J, Foster T, Knipe H, Terminal bronchiole. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 19 Apr 2024) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-54570

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-54570

Permalink:

https://radiopaedia.org/articles/54570

rID:

54570

Article created:

16 Jul 2017, James Ling

Disclosures:

At the time the article was created James Ling had no recorded disclosures.

View James Ling's current disclosures

Last revised:

2 Nov 2019, Tom Foster ◉

Disclosures:

At the time the article was last revised Tom Foster had no recorded disclosures.

View Tom Foster's current disclosures

Revisions:

3 times, by 3 contributors - see full revision history and disclosures

Systems:

Chest

Sections:

Anatomy

Tags:

refs, cases

The terminal bronchioles are a continuation of the bronchi and are the last divisions of the conducting airways.

Gross Anatomy

Terminal bronchioles are confusingly named, as they are not the final branches but rather the distal bronchioles that do not bear alveoli. The first 19 divisions from the main bronchi are conducting airways up until the final terminal bronchioles. Terminal bronchioles often are reached by the 5th or 6th division from the main bronchi ¹. Each terminal bronchiole and its branches constitutes a lung acinus. Terminal bronchioles become respiratory bronchioles when cilia start to disappear and alveoli start to bud off.

Histology

Terminal bronchioles have a diameter of <1 mm. They do not contain cartilage in their walls like bronchi. The epithelium is comprised of simple columnar ciliated cells ².