Assessment of Variability in Pulmonary Fissures Using Multidetector Computed Tomography: A Short Review

Abstract

Background: This study investigated the variability in pulmonary fissures, focusing on their presence, absence, or incompleteness, and how these variations contribute to the formation of accessory lobes. Objective: Using multidetector computed tomography (MDCT), the study aimed to define lung morphology in terms of major, minor, and accessory fissures. Material and methods: A descriptive analysis was conducted of MDCT images from 576 lungs (288 individuals). The study group comprised 162 male (56.3%) and 126 female (43.8%) patients. Results: In the right lung, 35.1% of cases exhibited an incomplete horizontal fissure, while in the left lung, accessory horizontal fissures were complete in 8.3% and incomplete in 10.2% of cases. Accessory fissures were present in 81.59% of right lungs and 47.22% of left lungs. The most common accessory fissures were located between the medial basal-anterior basal segments (44.4%), superior and basal segments (19.4%), and anterior basal-lateral basal segments (19.4%) of the lower lobe. No significant gender or lung-side differences were noted in the occurrence of fissures (p > 0.05). Conclusion: The study revealed significant variability in the frequency of major, minor, and accessory pulmonary fissures. Understanding these variations is crucial in shedding light on unusual clinical presentations in lung pathologies and in facilitating an accurate diagnosis and surgical planning.