Spaces/Pulmonary Hila

Question 1

What is the aortopulmonary window?

Answer 1

Space under the aortic arch and above the left pulmonary artery.

Question 2

What is the subcarinal space?

Answer 2

Space inferior to the carina and bounded by main bronchi. Site of adenopathy.

Question 3

What is the retrocrural space? What are the structures that run through this area?

Answer 3

• Bounded by the diaphragmatic crura and spine
• Structures through this area - birds of the mediastinum
  
  • azygos veins, hemiazygos, esophagus, thoracic duct

Question 4

Which hilus is higher? Why does this occur?

Answer 4

• Left hilus > right d/t left pulmonary artery is higher than the right
• right upper lobe bronchus is higher than the left upper lobe bronchus
  
  • d/t the right upper lobe bronchus is eparterial (above the artery) and the left lower lobe bronchus is hyparterial (below the artery)

Question 5

Describe the location of the pulmonary veins and arteries

Answer 5

• Pulmonary veins
  
  • cannot be distinguished from arteries in the outer two-thirds of the lungs
  • more centrally inferior pulmonary veins draining the lower lobes run more horizontally and are directed toward the right atrium
• Pulmonary arteries
  
  • lower lobe arteries more vertically oriented