left superior lobe (lung)

Last reviewed 01/2018

The superior lobe of the left lung is divided into five bronchopulmonary segments. These are largely produced on the basis of the first set of divisions of the right superior lobe bronchus. However, unlike on the right side, the left bronchus does not immediately divide up into separate segmental bronchi for the apical and posterior segments. They are both initally supplied by a common apicoposterior segmental bronchus. Consequently, both apical and posterior segments are often considered as one apicoposterior bronchopulmonary segment.

The lingular bronchi and their segments are considered to be equivalent to the right middle lobe bronchi and their corresponding segments.

Therefore, the bronchopulmonary segments of the left superior lobe of the lung are:

• apical bronchopulmonary segment; left bronchopulmonary segment number one - supplied by apical segmental bronchus
• posterior bronchopulmonary segment; left bronchopulmonary segment number two - supplied by posterior segmental bronchus

Or alternatively:

• apicoposterior bronchopulmonary segment; left bronchopulmonary segment numbers one and two - supplied by apicoposterior segmental bronchus

And:

• anterior bronchopulmonary segment; left bronchopulmonary segment number three - supplied by anterior segmental bronchus
• superior lingular bronchopulmonary segment; left bronchopulmonary segment number four - supplied by superior lingular segmental bronchus
• inferior lingular bronchopulmonary segment; left bronchopulmonary segment number 5 - inf. ling. bronchus