lung (redirected from lung hilus)

lung (lung) the organ of respiration; either of the pair of organs that effect aeration of blood, lying on either side of the heart within the chest cavity.

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black lung  pneumoconiosis of coal workers.

brown lung  byssinosis.

farmer's lung  hypersensitivity pneumonitis from inhalation of moldy hay dust.

humidifier lung  hypersensitivity pneumonitis caused by breathing air that has passed through humidifiers, dehumidifiers, or air conditioners contaminated by certain fungi, amebas, or thermophilic actinomycetes.

iron lung  popular name for Drinker respirator.

pigeon breeder's lung  hypersensitivity pneumonitis from inhalation of particles of bird feces by those who work closely with pigeons or other birds; it may eventually result in pulmonary fibrosis.

white lung  pneumonia alba.

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lung (lng) n. Either of the two saclike organs of respiration that occupy the pulmonary cavity of the thorax and in which aeration of the blood takes place. It is common for the right lung, which is divided into three lobes, to be slightly larger than the left, which has two lobes.

lung Top: right and left lungs Bottom: detail showing terminal respiratory units of bronchial tree

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lung (L)

Etymology: AS, lungen

one of a pair of light, spongy organs in the thorax, constituting the main component of the respiratory system. The two highly elastic lungs are the main mechanisms in the body for inhaling (inspiring) air, from which oxygen is extracted for the arterial blood system, and for exhaling (expiring) carbon dioxide dispersed from the venous system. The right lung is divided into three lobes; the left lung, two lobes. Each lung is conical and has an apex, a base, three borders, and two surfaces. The apex is rounded and extends into the root of the neck about 4 cm above the first rib. The base of the lung is broad and concave, rests on the convex surface of the diaphragm, and with the diaphragm moves up during expiration and down during inspiration. Each lung is composed of an external serous coat, a subserous layer of areolar tissue, and the parenchyma. The serous coat comprises the thin, visceral pleura. The subserous areolar tissue contains many elastic fibers and invests the entire surface of the organ. The parenchyma is composed of secondary lobules divided into primary lobules, each of which consists of blood vessels, lymphatics, nerves, and an alveolar duct connecting with air spaces. The surfaces of the lungs are partially concave, with a cardiac impression that cradles the heart. The bronchial arteries supply blood to nourish the lungs and are derived from the ventral side of the thoracic aorta or from the aortic intercostal arteries. The bronchial vein is formed at the root of the lung. Most of the blood supplied by the bronchial arteries is returned by the pulmonary veins to the left atrium of the heart. The lungs are pinkish white at birth and darken in later life. The coloring is from carbon granules deposited in the areolar tissue near the surface of the lung. The carbon deposits increase with age. The lungs of men are usually heavier than those of women and usually have a greater capacity. The quantity of air that can be exhaled from the lungs after the deepest inspiration, the vital capacity, averages 3700 cc.

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lung,

n the light, spongy organs in the thorax, constituting the main component of the respiratory system. They provide the tissue surface necessary for the exchange of gases between the environment and the blood. Oxygen is extracted from inspired air, and carbon dioxide is dispersed from the venous system back into the environment.

lung abscess,

n a complication of an inflammation and infection of the lung, often caused by aspiration of infected material from the oral cavity.

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lung

either of the two main organs of respiration, lying on either side of the heart, within the chest cavity. The lungs supply the blood with oxygen inhaled from the outside air, and they dispose of waste carbon dioxide in the exhaled air, as a part of the process of respiration. They are usually divided into lobes, the left lung has up to three (cranial, middle and caudal), while the right lung has up to four (cranial, middle, caudal and accessory). Horse lungs are least subdivided; cat and dog lungs are deeply fissured into lobes.

The lungs are made of elastic tissue filled with interlacing networks of tubes and sacs carrying air, and with blood vessels carrying blood. The bronchi, which bring air to the lungs, branch out within the lungs into many smaller tubes, the bronchioles, which culminate in clusters of tiny air sacs called alveoli, whose total runs into millions. The alveoli are surrounded by a network of capillaries. Through the thin membranes of the capillaries, the air and blood make their exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide. See also pulmonary, respiratory.

Lung lobes. By permission from Aspinall V, O'Reilly M, Introduction to Veterinary Anatomy and Physiology, Butterworth Heinemann, 2004

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accessory lung

develop from an embryonic lung bud in an abnormal site, e.g. neck, abdomen.

lung birth changes

include dilation of the alveoli and the bronchial tree, marked pulmonary vasodilation, decreased resistance to blood flow through the lungs, constriction of the ductus arteriosus, removal of fluid from the fetal bronchial tree.

lung breath sounds

see breath sounds.

lung bud

blunt end of the respiratory diverticulum which grows ventrally out of the proximal end of the foregut, then extends caudally and divides into two, forming the origins of the bronchial tree.

lung consolidation

see consolidation, hepatization.

lung-digit syndrome

an uncommon condition in cats in which a primary lung tumor metastasizes to, usually multiple, digits as well as other sites.

ectopic lung

edematous, lobulated masses of lung tissue in the abdominal or thoracic cavities or in subcutaneous sites.

lung factor

closely related ipomeanols produced in rotting sweet potatoes by the catabolic activities of the fungus Perilla frutescens and other fungi of phytoalexins in the tubers. The factor is not toxic until it is activated by pulmonary microsomal enzymes.

lung fluke

see paragonimus.

lung hilus

that part of the lung that is not covered by pleura and through which blood vessels, bronchi, nerves and lymphatics enter and leave the lung.

lung lobe torsion

occurs uncommonly in dogs and cats, most often of the right middle lobe. May occur spontaneously, following trauma, or in association with pleural effusion. Impaired venous return causes engorgement and rapid necrosis. Clinical signs include coughing and hemoptysis.

lung meridian points

acupuncture points on the lung meridian.

lung mites

see pneumonyssus, halarachne, orthohalarachne.

lung perforation

may cause lung hemorrhage, emphysema, hemothorax or pneumothorax, or any combination of these conditions.

lung puller

appliance for pulling the pluck, the heart and lungs on the trachea, out of the thorax at the abattoir.

lung puncture

see lung perforation (above).

lung Qi deficiency

in acupuncture terminology is a deficiency of Qi or energy in the lungs manifested by recurrent illness, weak cough, rapid shallow respiration, dry cracked muzzle.

lung reflexes

hering-breuer reflexes.

lung resonance

resonant sound achieved on percussion of the chest wall over normal lung.

shock lung

see shock lung.

lung sounds absent

breath sounds audible on auscultation over normal lung are absent over consolidated, neoplastic and collapsed lung.

stiff lung

one with decreased compliance.

total lung capacity

the sum of the potential air spaces in the bronchioles and the alveoli.

lung volume

see total lung capacity (above), volume.

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Patient discussion about lung hilus.

Q. My grandfather died of lung cancer because of smoking. what is the probability of me getting a cancerous tumor? What procedure is done to see if a tumor is malignant? Is a simple MRI enough to make that conclusion?

A. Sad.. my brother in law died from smoking, few years ago.
Regardless of family history, smoking is not exactly helthy and does contribute to lung cancer.
Even though the role of heredity in lung cancer is not as well-known, having a family history of lung cancer does increase our risk to some degree. Hereditary lung cancer is higher in women, nonsmokers and those with early onset lung cancer (lung cancer that occurs before the age of 60). Overall, it has been estimated that 1.7% of lung cancers up to the age of 68 are hereditary.

Q. Does the risk for lung cancer remain the same after I stop smoking? I'm 55 years old woman and have been smoking since age 20 one pack a day. Fortunately, after numerous failures I succeeded to stop smoking 5 years ago. I'm happy and feel much better now, but I'm still worried about the possibility of lung cancer- I know that smoking cause lung cancer, but after I've stopped smoking, am I still at risk to have cancer?

A. The answer is a little complicated: as former smoker, the risk for lung cancer does decrease with time. However, it may never return to the risk of someone similiar to you who never smoke to develop lung cancer.

Q. Is it possible to have lung cancer without smoking? My 89 years-old grandfather was told by his doctor that he has lung cancer, after he had cough for almost two months. I thought that lung cancer happens because people smoke, but my grandfather never smoked or drank alcohol and is still in a very good shape (for his age, of course) – is it possible the doctor was wrong and he doesn’t have lung cancer?

A. There are other things that increase the risk of lung cancer-. He may not be a smoker himself, but maybe he was living with a smoker, maybe he worked in an asbestos building, or exposed to substances that cause lung cancer.