Measurements of the normal pulmonary arteries in adults

Chin, S I

Abstract

The presence of dilatation of the right descending pulmonary artery is a reliable roentgenologic sign ofpulmonary hypertension, though no linear correlation exists between pulmonary artery widths and pulmonary arterypresssure. And so, at the first, the author measured the right descending pulmonary artery on both inspiratory andexpiratory chest roentgenograms of 200 normal male adults and 200 normal female adults, using Chang's method, toobtaine normal value of measurements in Koreans. The results were as follows; 1. In male, the range of the rightdescending pulmonary artery measurements was 9-16mm. in inspiration and 8-15 mm. in expiration. The meaninspiratory measurement was 14.0 mm. as compared to 12.1 mm. for the expiratory measurement. The range of differencebetween inspiratory and expiratory measurements was 1-3 mm. (1 mm. in 44 cases, 2 mm. in 138 cases, and 3 mm. in 18 cases). The mean difference was 1.9 mm. 2. In females, the range of measurement of the right descending pulmonaryartery was 9-16 mm. with a mean measurement of 12.9 mm. in inspiration. The expiratory measurements showed a rangeof 8-14 mm., with a mean measurement of 11.1 mm. The range of difference between inspiratory and expiratorymeasurements was 1-3 mm. (1 mm, in 62 cases, 2 mm, in 114 cases, and 3 mm. in 24 cases). The mean difference was 1.8 mm. 3. There are apparent changes in the measurement of the right descending pulmonary artery during respiration innormal adulats. The size of the right esceending pulmonary artery increases during inspiration and decreasesduring expiration. There were 1-3 mm. differences between inspiratory and expiratory measurements. In 252 cases(53%), the difference was 2 mm.