Skip to main content
Log in

Morphometry of pulmonary veins in man

  • Original Articles
  • Published:
Lung Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Resin casts of the pulmonary veins were made from the lungs of two women and one man. Branches were classified by Strahler orders, the number of branches in each order was counted, and their mean diameter and mean length determined. All branches down to 1.0 mm diameter were studied on each of the casts, and a sample of branches down to 0.2 mm diameter was studied on one cast. From the data thus obtained a dimensional model of the pulmonary veins was elaborated and compared with a previously obtained model of the pulmonary arteries. The venous volume was calculated to be 74 ml, 80% of which is located in the upper six orders.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Backmann R, Hartung W (1970) Differentiating measurements of blood volumes in isolated human lungs. Progr Resp Res 5:327–337

    Google Scholar 

  2. Gehr P, Bachofen M, Weibel ER (1978) The normal human lung: ultrastructure and morphometric estimation of diffusion capacity. Respir Physiol 32:121–140

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Giuntini C, Maseri A, Bianchi R (1963) Pulmonary vascular distensibility and lung compliance as modified by dextran infusion and subsequent atropine injection in normal subjects. J Clin Invest 45:1770–1789

    Google Scholar 

  4. Harris P, Heath D (1977) The human pulmonary circulation, 2nd edn. Livingstone, Edinburgh, p 105

    Google Scholar 

  5. Horsfield K (1978) Morphometry of the small pulmonary arteries in man. Circ Res 42:593–597

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Lewis ML, Herrera CE (1979) Measurement of human pulmonary arterial volumein vivo. Bull Eur Physiopathol Respir 15:925–934

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Singahl SS, Henderson R, Horsfield K, Harding K, Cumming G (1973) Morphometry of the human pulmonary arterial tree. Circ Res 33:190–197

    Google Scholar 

  8. Weibel ER (1963) morphometry of the human lung. Springer Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg New York, p 86

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Horsfield, K., Gordon, W.I. Morphometry of pulmonary veins in man. Lung 159, 211–218 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02713917

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02713917

Key words

Navigation