Abstract:

Objective　To study the pulmonary veins of the right upper lobe with multi-slice spiral CT angiography (MSCTA) combined with the post-processing technology of volume rendering (VR).  Methods　Totally 95 patients underwent multi-slice CT pulmonary venography. The right upper vein was displayed with VR technology, then the right upper pulmonary veins was  classified and the segmental veins with the VR technology was studied.　Results　(1)There were a total of 268 venous branches with complex shape in the anterior superior lobes of the right lung, mainly draining the anterior segment of the right upper lobe and the tip of the lung in 95 cases; There were 18 branches in the right lung horizontal fissure, draining the right upper lobe and the right lung mid-lobe. The central vein of the right lung had one branch in 95 cases, which was shaped in the middle of the anterior segment of the right upper lobe and the middle of the apical segment of the right lung. The veins in the upper lobe of the right lung appeared scarce, with a total of 14 branches, and with 5 directly into the left atrium. (2)The pulmonary veins of the right upper lobe were mainly classified as “pre+central vein” type in 81 cases (85.2%), and as“pre+middle+posterior vein” type in 14 cases (14.8%), which were described in the previous literature. The lonely “anterior vein” and “central vein” types were not found in this study.　Conclusion　MSCTA combined with post-processing VR technology can truly visualize the branch form of the right upper lobe vein.

Key words: Multi-slice spiral CT angiography;　Volume rending;　Right upper pulmonary vein, 　Anatomy