subsegmental pulmonary artery

The subsegmental pulmonary artery is a branch of the segmental pulmonary artery that is involved in supplying deoxygenated blood to a smaller subsegment of the lung for gas exchange at the alveolar level.

Subsegmental pulmonary arteries are located within the lung parenchyma, arising from the segmental pulmonary arteries and coursing alongside the subsegmental bronchi into smaller subdivisions of each pulmonary lobe.

The subsegmental pulmonary artery is involved in delivering deoxygenated blood from the right side of the heart to the pulmonary capillaries of a specific lung subsegment, where oxygen uptake and carbon dioxide release take place.

Subsegmental pulmonary embolism, pulmonary arterial hypertension, lung infarction, or structural lung diseases such as emphysema may be associated with changes involving the subsegmental pulmonary arteries.

Subsegmental pulmonary arteries may be assessed through CT pulmonary angiography, which can visualize filling defects suggestive of embolism, ventilation-perfusion scintigraphy, or pulmonary angiography in select clinical settings.