Lungs

Question 1

where are the lungs located?

Answer 1

They are located in the chest, either side of the mediastinum, within the thoracic cavity

Question 2

what are the lungs involved in?

Answer 2

the major organs of respiration

Question 3

what are the functions of the lungs?

Answer 3

to oxygenate blood

Question 4

how do the lungs oxygenate blood?

Answer 4

They achieve this by bringing inspired air into close contact with oxygen-poor blood in the pulmonary capillaries

Question 5

what is each lung surrounded by?

Answer 5

by a pleural cavity

Question 6

what is a pleural cavity?

Answer 6

formed by the visceral and parietal pleura

Question 7

what are the lungs suspended from the mediastinum by?

Answer 7

the lung root

Question 8

what are the lung roots?

Answer 8

a collection of structures entering and leaving the lungs

Question 9

where do the medial surfaces of both lungs lie?

Answer 9

in close proximity to several mediastinal structures

Question 10

what does the left lung lie in close proximity to?

Answer 10

heart
arch of aorta
thoracic aorta
oesophagus

Question 11

what does the right lung lie in close proximity to?

Answer 11

oesophagus
heart
inferior vena cava
superior vena cava
azygous vein

Question 12

roughly what shape are the lungs and what are its borders?

Answer 12

The lungs are roughly cone shaped, with an apex, base, three surfaces and three borders

Question 13

which lung is smaller? why?

Answer 13

The left lung is slightly smaller than the right – this is due to the presence of the heart

Question 14

what does each lung consist of?

Answer 14

apex, base, lobes (2/3), 3 surfaces, 3 borders

Question 15

what is the apex of the lung? where does it project?

Answer 15

The blunt superior end of the lung. It projects upwards, above the level of the 1st rib and into the floor of the neck

Question 16

what is the base of the lung? where does it sit?

Answer 16

The inferior surface of the lung, which sits on the diaphragm

Question 17

what are the lobes of the lungs separated by?

Answer 17

These are separated by fissures within the lung

Question 18

what are the 3 surfaces of the lungs? what are they named?

Answer 18

These correspond to the area of the thorax that they face. They are named costal, mediastinal and diaphragmatic

Question 19

what are the 3 borders of the lungs? how are they named?

Answer 19

The edges of the lungs, named the anterior, inferior and posterior borders

Question 20

do the left and right lungs have identical lobular structure?

Answer 20

NO

Question 21

how many lobes does the right lung have? what are they?

Answer 21

The right lung has three lobes; superior, middle and inferior

Question 22

what are the lobes of the right lung divided from each other by?

Answer 22

by two fissures:
oblique fissure
horizontal fissure

Question 23

where does the oblique fissure run? what does it meet?

Answer 23

Runs from the inferior border of the lung in a superoposterior direction, until it meets the posterior lung border

Question 24

where does the horizontal fissure run? what does it meet?

Answer 24

Runs horizontally from the sternum, at the level of the 4th rib, to meet the oblique fissure

Question 25

what does the left lung contain? (in terms of lobes)

Answer 25

The left lung contains superior and inferior lobes

Question 26

what are the lobes of the left lung separated by?

Answer 26

a similar oblique fissure

Question 27

what do the lung surfaces correspond to?

Answer 27

There are three lung surfaces, each corresponding to an area of the thorax

Question 28

what are the mediastinal surface of the lung faces? what is located on this surface?

Answer 28

the lateral aspect of the middle mediastinum. The lung hilum is located on this surface

Question 29

what is the lung hilum?

Answer 29

where structures enter and leave the lung

Question 30

what is the base of the lung formed by?

Answer 30

The base of the lung is formed by the diaphragmatic surface

Question 31

what does the base of the lung rest on? what shape does it have?

Answer 31

It rests on the dome of the diaphragm, and has a concave shape

Question 32

is the concavity deeper on the left or right lung? why?

Answer 32

This concavity is deeper in the right lung, due to the higher position of the right dome overlying the liver

Question 33

what is the costal surface of the lungs like?

Answer 33

The costal surface is smooth and convex

Question 34

where does the costal surface of the lungs face?

Answer 34

It faces the internal surface of the chest wall

Question 35

what is the costal surface of the lungs related to?

Answer 35

the costal pleura

Question 36

what is the function of the costal pleura?

Answer 36

separates the costal surface from the ribs and innermost intercostal muscles

Question 37

what is the anterior border of the lung formed by?

Answer 37

formed by the convergence of the mediastinal and costal surfaces

Question 38

what is the anterior border of the left lung marked by? what is it created by? known as?

Answer 38

by a deep notch, created by the apex of the heart. It is known as the cardiac notch

Question 39

what is the function of the inferior border of the lungs?

Answer 39

The inferior border separates the base of the lung from the costal and mediastinal surfaces

Question 40

what is the posterior border of the lungs like?

Answer 40

The posterior border is smooth and rounded (in contrast to the anterior and inferior borders, which are sharp)

Question 41

what is the posterior border of the lungs formed by?

Answer 41

It is formed by the costal and mediastinal surfaces meeting posteriorly

Question 42

what is the lung root?

Answer 42

The lung root is a collection of structures that suspends the lung from the mediastinum

Question 43

what does each root contain?

Answer 43

Each root contains a bronchus, pulmonary artery, two pulmonary veins, bronchial vessels, pulmonary plexus of nerves and lymphatic vessels

Question 44

what do all structures enter of leave the lung via?

Answer 44

All these structures enter or leave the lung via the hilum

Question 45

what is the hilum of the lungs?

Answer 45

a wedge shaped area on its mediastinal surface

Question 46

what is the bronchial tree?

Answer 46

a series of passages that supplies air to the alveoli of the lungs

Question 47

where does the bronchial tree begin with? and then?

Answer 47

It begins with the trachea, which divides into a left and right bronchus

Question 48

which bronchus has a higher incidence of foreign body inhalation? why?

Answer 48

The right bronchus has a higher incidence of foreign body inhalation due to its wider shape and more vertical course

Question 49

where does each bronchus enter the lung? passes through?

Answer 49

Each bronchus enters the root of the lung, passing through the hilum

Question 50

what happens to the bronchus when they are inside the lung?

Answer 50

they divide to form lobar bronchi – one supplying each lobe

Question 51

what does each lobar bronchus then do?

Answer 51

Each lobar bronchus then further divides into several tertiary segmental bronchi

Question 52

what does each segmental bronchi provide?

Answer 52

Each segmental bronchi provides air to a bronchopulmonary segment

Question 53

what are bronchopulmonary segments?

Answer 53

these are the functional units of the lungs

Question 54

what does each segmental bronchi give rise to?

Answer 54

The segmental bronchi give rise to many conducting bronchioles

Question 55

what do each bronchioles eventually lead to?

Answer 55

terminal bronchioles

Question 56

what does each terminal bronchiole give off?

Answer 56

Each terminal bronchiole gives off respiratory bronchioles, which feature thin walled outpocketings that extend from their lumens

Question 57

what do respiratory bronchioles feature?

Answer 57

thin walled outpocketings that extend from their lumens

Question 58

what are the thin walled outpocketings that extend from the lumen of respiratory bronchioles?

Answer 58

These are the alveoli – the site of gaseous exchange