Pulmonary Veins



Pulmonary Veins


Melissa L. Rosado-de-Christenson, MD, FACR

Gerald F. Abbott, MD



Terminology


Abbreviations



  • Secondary pulmonary lobule (SPL)


Overview of Pulmonary Veins


Morphology



  • Branching tapering tubular structures


  • Peripheral tributaries anastomose to form central pulmonary veins draining into left atrium


Function



  • Collection of oxygenated blood from alveolar-capillary membrane


  • Conduit of oxygenated blood to left atrium for delivery to systemic circulation


Anatomy of Pulmonary Veins


General Concepts



  • Sources of pulmonary venous drainage



    • Efferent veins from alveolar capillaries


    • Bronchial and vascular wall capillary networks


    • Septal veins of SPL


    • Veins of visceral pleura


Histology



  • Mural smooth muscle and elastic lamina


  • Small pulmonary veins are histologically indistinguishable from small pulmonary arteries


Imaging of Normal Pulmonary Veins


Imaging Anatomy



  • Pulmonary veins travel in periphery of anatomic lung units



    • Acinus


    • Lobule


    • Segment


  • Veins of SPL



    • Drain into interlobular septal pulmonary veins with tributaries from



      • Alveolar-capillary network


      • Bronchial artery-derived airway wall (subendothelial) capillary network


      • Pleura


    • Each lobular or septal pulmonary vein drains 2 or more adjacent SPLs


Imaging Features

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Sep 20, 2016 | Posted by in RESPIRATORY IMAGING | Comments Off on Pulmonary Veins

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