Pulmonary trunk
Truncus pulmonalis
- Synonym: Main pulmonary artery
- Acronym: mPA
Definition
The pulmonary trunk (main pulmonary artery; MPA) begins at the base of the right ventricle. The opening of the pulmonary trunk is circular, and situated at the summit of the conus arteriosus, close to the ventricular septum. It is placed above and to the left of the atrioventricular opening, and is guarded by the pulmonary semilunar valves.
The MPA is intrapericardic, short and wide—approximately 5 centimeters (2.0 in) in length and 3 centimeters (1.2 in) in diameter. It divides (bifurcation of pulmonary trunk) at into the left pulmonary artery (LPA) and right pulmonary artery (RPA) at the level of the fifth thoracic vertebra.
Branches of pulmonary trunk:
Left pulmonary artery (LPA)
Right pulmonary artery (RPA)
Text by Antoine Micheau, MD - Copyright IMAIOS
This definition incorporates text from the wikipedia website - Wikipedia: The free encyclopedia. (2004, July 22). FL: Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. Retrieved August 10, 2004, from http://www.wikipedia.org
https://www.med-ed.virginia.edu/courses/rad/CTPA/02anat/anat-01-01.html
