Intrapulmonary lymph nodes
Dr Yuranga Weerakkody ◉ et al.
Intrapulmonary lymph nodes, or pulmonary lymph nodes, are normal lymph nodes found within the lung parenchyma itself. They are commonly found during the assessment of CTs of the chest and are, sometimes, difficult to distinguish from pulmonary nodules.
The pulmonary lymph nodes are divided into subtypes accordingly to their location:
- perifissural lymph nodes 2
-
peribronchial lymph nodes
- at the bifurcation of the bronchi, before the fourth branch
- intraparenchymal lymph nodes
Radiographic features
CT
- around 6 mm in size (usually reported range around 3-8.5 mm) 1
- most tend to be below the carinal level (i.e. lower lobes and middle lobe 4)
- nodules may be oval, round, triangular, or trapezoidal
- may have sharply defined borders
- tend to be solid and homogeneous and without calcification
- some nodules may show a discrete thin tag extending to the pleura
Related Radiopaedia articles
Anatomy: Thoracic
- thoracic skeleton
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- thoracic spine
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- diaphragm
- intercostal space
- intercostal muscles
- variant anatomy
- spaces of the thorax
- thoracic viscera
- tracheobronchial tree
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lungs
-
bronchopulmonary segmental anatomy (Boyden Classification) (mnemonic)
- left lung
- right lung
- variant anatomy
- lung parenchyma
- hilum
- pleura
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bronchopulmonary segmental anatomy (Boyden Classification) (mnemonic)
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heart
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- pectinate muscles
- cardiac fibrous skeleton
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coronary arteries
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left main coronary artery (LMCA)
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circumflex artery (LCx)
- obtuse marginal branches (OM1, OM2, etc))
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left anterior descending artery (LAD)
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right coronary artery (RCA)
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pericardium
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coronary veins
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- pulmonary veins
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- lymphatics
- innervation of the thorax