Purpose

The purpose of the present study was to analyze the left pulmonary artery (LPA) branching pattern of the interlobar portion using three-dimensional CT pulmonary angiography (3D-CTPA) and thin-section CT images, and to attempt to diagrammatize these patterns.

Materials and methods

The study included 320 patients suspected of having lung cancer of the left upper/lower lobe who underwent CTPA. The number and origin of the LPA branches of the interlobar portion, A1 + 2c, A6, and lingular artery from pars interlobaris (PI), were identified meticulously using 3D-CTPA and thin-section images. We then diagrammatized the identified LPA branching patterns of the interlobar portion.

Results

The diagrammatized LPA branching patterns of the interlobar portion were broadly classified into seven types in the order of bifurcation from proximal to distal. Type 1 was the most frequent (120/320, 37.5%). PI originated from the lower portion, that is, from A8 or the common trunk of A8 and A9 in 95 cases (29.7%). We could also precisely diagrammatize the LPA branching patterns of the interlobar portion into 85 types in all 320 patients.

Conclusion

3D-CTPA and thin-section images provided precise preoperative information regarding the LPA branching patterns of the interlobar portion.

中文翻译：

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通过三维CT肺血管造影和薄层图像分析用于肺切除的小叶间部分左肺动脉的解剖学变化。

目的

本研究的目的是使用三维CT肺血管造影（3D-CTPA）和薄层CT图像分析叶间部分的左肺动脉（LPA）分支模式，并尝试绘制这些模式。

材料和方法

该研究包括320例怀疑患有左上/下叶肺癌的患者接受了CTPA治疗。使用3D-CTPA和薄层图像仔细识别了肺叶间部分的LPA分支，A1 + 2c，A6和舌间动脉（PI）的LPA分支的数量和来源。然后，我们绘制了叶间部分的已识别LPA分支模式。

结果

叶间部分的图示LPA分支模式按从近端到远端的分叉顺序大致分为七种类型。1型是最常见的（120/320，37.5％）。PI起源于下部，即A8或A8和A9的公共干线，占95例（29.7％）。我们还可以将320名患者中叶间部分的LPA分支模式精确地绘制成85种类型。

结论

3D-CTPA和薄层图像提供了有关叶间部分LPA分支模式的精确术前信息。