Where it is
They fill the thoracic cavity from the thoracic inlet to the diaphragm; the left lung is drawn here.
- Layer
- Organs
- System
- Respiratory system
- Region
- Thorax
What it is and what it does
The left lung has a cranial lobe, with a cranial part and a caudal part, and a caudal lobe; the right has cranial, middle, caudal and accessory lobes, with the cardiac notch between the cranial and middle lobes. The number of lobes is established by the lobar bronchi, not by the outer appearance. The caudal border follows the cupola of the diaphragm.
The accessory lobe of the right lung lies in a pocket formed by the plica venae cavae (UMN, Lab 11).
The drawing shows the left lung, with the dashed line between the cranial and caudal lobes; the shape is schematic.
Worth remembering
The rear border of the lungs follows the dome of the diaphragm.
Names
- Also called: pulmones.
- Latin term: pulmones.
- In Romanian: Plămânii (Romanian page).
In the atlas lessons
The organs: where they sit, from neck to pelvis (5 min).
Questions from the atlas
"Find it on the drawing" questions whose answer is this structure; in the atlas you will find them in the question bank and in the lessons.
- Show the lungs on the drawing. (level 1)