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Superior lobar artery of right lung

The superior lobar artery of the right lung (RUL artery) is the primary arterial branch of the right pulmonary artery that supplies the right upper lobe. It arises from the right pulmonary artery near the hilum and courses anterior to the right main bronchus, then branches to accompany the segmental bronchi of the upper lobe.

Its major branches are the apical (A1), posterior (A2), and anterior (A3) segmental arteries, which follow the respective bronchi to provide oxygenated blood for gas exchange to the corresponding pulmonary segments.

The superior lobar artery is of major clinical significance in pulmonary embolism, pulmonary resection (lobectomy/segmentectomy), and interventional procedures, as well as in congenital vascular variations.

Synonyms

  • Right upper lobe artery

  • Superior branch of right pulmonary artery

  • Arteria lobaris superior dextra

Function

  • Provides pulmonary arterial blood supply to the right upper lobe (segments 1–3)

  • Facilitates gas exchange by perfusing alveolar capillaries of the upper lobe

  • Serves as a key landmark for thoracic surgery and interventional radiology

  • Contributes to segmental distribution matching bronchopulmonary anatomy

Branches

  • Apical segmental artery (A1) – supplies apical segment of RUL

  • Posterior segmental artery (A2) – supplies posterior segment of RUL

  • Anterior segmental artery (A3) – supplies anterior segment of RUL

MRI Appearance

T1-weighted images:

  • Artery lumen appears as a signal void (black); adjacent fat provides natural contrast

  • Vessel wall hypointense relative to mediastinal tissues

T2-weighted images:

  • Flowing blood shows signal void

  • Thrombus or slow flow may appear intermediate-to-high signal within lumen

T2 TRUFISP (cardiac/respiratory-gated):

  • Demonstrates the superior lobar artery as a bright, continuous vascular lumen branching from the right pulmonary artery

  • Provides dynamic cine-like assessment of arterial patency, stenosis, or obstruction

STIR:

  • Fat suppression enhances artery-to-tissue contrast

  • Useful for detecting perivascular edema, inflammation, or extrinsic compression

T1 Post-Contrast (Gadolinium-enhanced MRI):

  • Artery enhances brightly and homogeneously

  • Clear visualization of segmental branching pattern (A1–A3)

  • Filling defects represent pulmonary emboli

MRI Non-Contrast Cardiac-Gated 3D (whole-heart):

  • Depicts the origin, course, and branching of the superior lobar artery into A1–A3

  • Provides 3D vascular mapping without contrast, useful in patients with renal impairment

CT Appearance

CT Pulmonary Angiography (CTPA):

  • Gold standard for imaging pulmonary arteries

  • Superior lobar artery and its branches (A1–A3) opacify brightly with contrast

  • Detects pulmonary embolism, stenosis, aneurysm, or anatomical variations

  • Multiplanar and 3D reconstructions assist in thoracic surgery and interventional planning

CT image

Superior lobar artery of right lung anatomy CT axial image -img-00000-00000

MRI image

Superior lobar artery of right lung anatomy mri image