Investigation of displaced bronchi using multidetector computed tomography: associated abnormalities of lung...

Although several cases of thoracic surgery for patients with displaced bronchi have been reported, there are few reports describing the anatomical features of displaced bronchi. The author aimed to analyze the incidence and types of displaced bronchi, and their associated lung lobulations and vascular courses.

Of 6480 patients who underwent thoracic computed tomography at our hospital from 2012 to 2016, 6072 were included. Displaced bronchi were classified according to their associated lobes and were subclassified based on each lobar or segmental bronchus. Subsequently, the author analyzed the associated abnormalities of lung lobulations and vascular courses.

Of 6072 patients, displaced bronchi were observed in 46 (0.76%): the right upper lobe in 39, the right lower lobe in two, and the left upper lobe in five patients. In the right upper lobe, "Right Upper Lobar Type" was found in six patients "Right B¹ Type" in 15, "Right B² Type" in seven, and "Right B³ Type" in 11 patients. All right lower lobar displaced bronchi were "Right B⁶ Type" and all left upper lobar displaced bronchi were "Left B¹⁺² Type". In the Right B², Right B³, and Left B¹⁺² Types, abnormal lung lobulations and top pulmonary veins were frequently noted. All patients with the Right B³ and Left B¹⁺² Types had unique abnormalities of the pulmonary arteries.

In some types of displaced bronchi, both abnormal lobulations and top pulmonary veins may be useful for recognizing displaced bronchi.