Anterior Segment of the Right Lung from a Medial Direction

Description

Oriented from a medial direction, the right lung is presented with emphasis on the anterior bronchopulmonary segment (segmentum anterius) and its segmental boundary on the visceral surface. The colored segment lies ventrally and anteriorly within the upper lobe, with its margin tracking toward the anterior border and tapering inferiorly toward the horizontal fissure region. Medially, the segment approaches the hilar area where the lobar bronchus, pulmonary artery, and pulmonary veins enter and exit. Clear segmental geography. For thoracic surgeons and pulmonologists, this specific segment matters because it corresponds to a discrete bronchovascular unit supplied by the anterior segmental bronchus (B3) and its accompanying arterial branch, a framework used when planning a right upper lobe segmentectomy rather than a lobectomy. Segmental boundaries also guide interpretation of collapse or consolidation patterns on CT, such as a B3 obstruction from mucus plugging or an endobronchial lesion producing a wedge-shaped anterior upper lobe atelectasis that respects intersegmental planes. The medial vantage supports teaching of how the anterior segment relates to the hilum and anterior hilar structures, a common source of orientation errors when translating between bronchoscopy, imaging, and operative views. Use this illustration in preoperative planning materials for video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) or robotic right upper lobe anterior segmentectomy, where identifying intersegmental veins helps define the resection plane. It also fits radiology and anatomy curricula covering bronchopulmonary segments, pulmonary hilum relationships, and pattern-based localization of disease on axial and coronal CT. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.