# Assessment of variability in pulmonary fissures using multidetector computed tomography: a short review

## TL;DR

This study examines variations in lung fissures using CT scans to better understand lung anatomy and improve diagnosis and surgery.

## Contribution

The study provides new insights into the variability of pulmonary fissures and their role in accessory lobe formation.

## Key findings

- Incomplete horizontal fissures were found in 35.1% of right lungs and 10.2% of left lungs.
- Accessory fissures were present in 81.59% of right lungs and 47.22% of left lungs.
- The most common accessory fissures were between specific lower lobe segments.

## Abstract

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.

Using multidetector computed tomography (MDCT), the study aimed to define lung morphology in terms of major, minor, and accessory fissures.

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.

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).

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.