Incomplete interlobar fissures: bronchovascular analysis with CT

Area of Science:

• Thoracic imaging
• Pulmonary anatomy

Background:

• Interlobar fissures define lung lobes, crucial for understanding pulmonary disease spread.
• Variations in fissure anatomy, such as incomplete interlobar fissure (IIF), may impact disease progression.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the frequency of incomplete interlobar fissure (IIF) in human lungs using thin-section computed tomography (CT).
• To identify associated bronchovascular structures within IIFs.
• To assess the clinical relevance of IIF in understanding pulmonary disease spread.

Main Methods:

• Thin-section computed tomographic (CT) scans of 154 lungs (including 7 cadavers) were analyzed.
• Patients had lung cancer, diffuse or inflammatory lung disease, other diseases, or healthy lungs.
• Incomplete interlobar fissure (IIF) was defined as a discontinuous linear shadow in contact with the chest wall.

Main Results:

• Incomplete interlobar fissures (IIF) were identified in 83.1% of right lungs and 50.0% of left lungs.
• Pulmonary veins were the most common associated bronchovascular structures, found in 56.5% of right IIFs and 13.0% of left IIFs.
• Pulmonary arteries and bronchi were less frequently associated with IIFs.

Conclusions:

• Incomplete interlobar fissures (IIF) are a frequent anatomical variation in the lungs.
• The presence of IIFs, particularly their association with pulmonary veins, may influence the patterns of pulmonary disease spread.
• Recognition of IIF on CT scans can improve the understanding and diagnosis of lung conditions.