Inferior Lingular Artery Structure in the Left Lung

Description

Arising from the left pulmonary artery, the inferior lingular artery courses anteroinferiorly toward the lingula of the left upper lobe, running with its companion lingular bronchus and veins within the peribronchovascular connective tissue. Distally it divides into segmental and subsegmental arterioles that fan through the inferior lingular segment, while pulmonary veins converge more superficially and drain posteromedially toward the left atrium. Superior to this territory lies the superior lingular segment, and posteriorly the artery’s branches relate to the oblique fissure that separates the upper lobe from the left lower lobe. Orientation hinges on the cardiac silhouette, with the lingula forming an anteroinferior projection of the upper lobe adjacent to the left ventricle. Clear depiction of the inferior lingular artery matters when teaching segmental anatomy and when planning procedures that demand precise vascular control. During a left upper lobectomy or lingulectomy, surgeons identify and divide the lingular arterial branches close to the hilum while protecting the nearby superior pulmonary vein tributaries and the upper lobe bronchus. Misidentification can lead to bleeding or unintended devascularization of adjacent segments, and the lingular region is also a common site of recurrent infection and atelectasis where bronchovascular anatomy guides interpretation of contrast-enhanced CT angiography. Use this artwork in thoracic surgery atlases, cardiopulmonary anatomy modules, and radiology teaching files that correlate pulmonary arterial branching with bronchopulmonary segments on axial or oblique CT planes. It also fits patient-facing education for planned lingulectomy, where segment-level vessel naming reduces ambiguity. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.