Pulmonary artery - wikipedia Pulmonary artery Pulmonary artery Details Precursor truncus arteriosus System Cardiovascular, Respiratory Source right ventricle Identifiers Latin arteria pulmonalis MeSH A07. 231.114. 715 Dorlands / Elsevier t_20 / 12826098 FMA 45842 Anatomical terminology ( edit on Wikidata ) A pulmonary artery is an artery in the pulmonary circulation that carries deoxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs. The largest pulmonary artery is the main pulmonary artery or pulmonary trunk from the heart, and the smallest ones are the arterioles which lead to the capillaries that surround the pulmonary alveoli. Contents 1 Pulmonary arterial tree 2 Development 3 Function 4 Clinical significance 5 Additional images 6 See also 7 References 8 External links Pulmonary arterial tree Volume rendering of a high resolution CT scan of the thorax. The anterior thoracic wall, the airways and the pulmonary vessels anterior to the root of the lung have been digitally removed in order to visualize the different levels of the pulmonary circulation. In order of blood flow, the pulmonary arteries start as the pulmonary trunk or main pulmonary artery. The main pulmonary artery begins at the base of the right ventricle. It is short and wide -- approximately 5 centimetres ( 2.0 in ) in length and 3 centimetres ( 1.2 in ) in diameter. The main pulmonary artery splits into the right and the left main pulmonary artery. The left main pulmonary artery is shorter and somewhat smaller than the right, passes horizontally in front of the descending aorta and left bronchus to the root of the left lung. Above, the left main pulmonary artery is connected to the concavity of the proximal descending aorta by the ligamentum arteriosum. It then divides into two lobar arteries, one for each lobe of the left lung. The right main pulmonary artery follows a longer and more horizontal course as it crosses the mediastinum. It passes underneath the aortic arch, behind the ascending aorta, and in front of the descending aorta. It courses posterior to the superior vena cava and in front of the right bronchus. Upon reaching the hilum of the right lung the right main pulmonary artery divides into two branches : truncus anterior -- supplies blood to the right upper lobe. interlobar artery -- inferior and larger branch, supplies blood to the middle and inferior lobes of the lung. At the far end, pulmonary arteries ( labeled at bottom ) become capillaries at the pulmonary alveoli. The right and left main pulmonary arteries give off branches that roughly correspond to the lung lobes, and can in such cases be termed lobar arteries. The lobar arteries branch into segmental arteries ( roughly 1 for each lobe segment ), which in turn branch into subsegmental pulmonary arteries. These eventually form intralobular arteries. Development The pulmonary arteries originate from the truncus arteriosus and the sixth pharyngeal arch. The truncus arteriosis is a structure that forms during the development of the heart as a successor to the conus arteriosus. By the third week of development, the endocardial tubes have developed a swelling in the part closest to the heart. The swelling is known as the bulbus cordis and the upper part of this swelling develops into the truncus arteriosus The structure is ultimately mesodermal in origin. During development of the heart, the heart tissues undergo folding, and the truncus arteriosus is exposed to what will eventually be both the left and right ventricles. As a septum develops between the two ventricles of the heart, two bulges form on either side of the truncus arteriosus. These progressively enlarge until the trunk splits into the aorta and pulmonary arteries. During early development, the ductus arteriosis connects the pulmonary trunk and the aortic arch, allowing blood to bypass the lungs. Function The pulmonary artery carries deoxygenated blood from the right ventricle to the lungs. The blood here passes through capillaries adjacent to alveoli and becomes oxygenated as part of the process of respiration. In contrast to the pulmonary arteries, the bronchial arteries supply nutrition to the lungs themselves. The pulmonary artery pressure ( PA pressure ) is a measure of the blood pressure found in the main pulmonary artery. This is measured by inserting a catheter into the main pulmonary artery. The mean pressure is typically 9 - 18 mmHg, and the wedge pressure measured in the left atrium may be 6 - 12mmHg. The wedge pressure may be elevated in left heart failure, mitral valve stenosis, and other conditions, such as sickle cell disease. Clinical significance The pulmonary artery is relevant in a number of clinical states. Pulmonary hypertension is used to describe an increase in the pressure of the pulmonary artery, and may be defined as a mean pulmonary artery pressure of greater than 25mmHg. As can be measured on a CT scan, a diameter of more than 29 mm diameter is often used as a cut - off to indicate pulmonary hypertension. This may occur as a result of heart problems such as heart failure, lung or airway disease such as COPD or scleroderma, or thromboembolic disease such as pulmonary embolism or emboli seen in sickle cell anaemia. Pulmonary embolism refers to an embolus that lodges in the pulmonary circulation. This may arise from a deep venous thrombosis, especially after a period of immobility. A pulmonary embolus is a common cause of death in patients with cancer and stroke. A large pulmonary embolus affecting the pulmonary trunk is called a saddle embolus. Additional images Image showing main pulmonary artery coursing ventrally to the aortic root and trachea, and the right pulmonary artery passes dorsally to the ascending aorta, while the left pulmonary artery passes ventrally to the descending aorta. Pulmonary circuit Transverse section of thorax, showing relations of pulmonary artery. Pulmonary artery Pulmonary artery. Deep dissection. Anterior view. CT scan of a normal lung, with different levels of pulmonary arteries. Bronchial anatomy See also Pulmonary artery sling Rasmussen 's aneurysm References Jump up ^ `` Pulmonary Vasculature ''. University of Virginia School of Medicine. 2013. Retrieved 2017 - 06 - 24. Jump up ^ D. Cheitlin, Melvin ; C. Ursell, Philip ( 2011 ). `` Cardiac Anatomy ''. In Chatterjee, Kanu. Cardiology : An Illustrated Textbook. JP Medical Ltd. p. 6. ISBN 9789350252758. Jump up ^ `` Pulmonary Artery Anatomy ''. University of Virginia School of Medicine. 2013. Retrieved 2017 - 06 - 24. Jump up ^ Takahashi M, Fukuoka J, Nitta N, Takazakura R, Nagatani Y, Murakami Y, Otani H, Murata K ( 2008 ). `` Imaging of pulmonary emphysema : a pictorial review ''. Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis. 3 ( 2 ) : 193 -- 204. PMC 2629965. PMID 18686729. ^ Jump up to : Larsen 2009, p. 157. Jump up ^ Larsen 2009, pp. 159 - 160. Jump up ^ Larsen 2009, pp. 176 - 179. Jump up ^ Braunwald, Eugene. Heart Disease : A Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine ( Fourth ed. ). p. 791. Jump up ^ Braunwald, Eugene. Heart Disease : A Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine ( 4th ed. ). p. 790. ^ Jump up to : edited by Nicki R. Colledge, Brian R. Walker, Stuart H. Ralston ; illustrated by Robert Britton ( 2010 ). Davidson 's principles and practice of medicine. ( 21st ed. ). Edinburgh : Churchill Livingstone / Elsevier. ISBN 978 - 0 - 7020 - 3084 - 0. CS1 maint : Multiple names : authors list ( link ) CS1 maint : Extra text : authors list ( link ) Jump up ^ Edwards Lifesciences LLC > Normal Hemodynamic Parameters -- Adult 2009 Jump up ^ Pashankar FD, Carbonella J, Bazzy - Asaad A, Friedman A ( April 2008 ). `` Prevalence and risk factors of elevated pulmonary artery pressures in children with sickle cell disease ''. Pediatrics. 121 ( 4 ) : 777 -- 82. PMID 18381543. doi : 10.1542 / peds. 2007 - 0730. Jump up ^ Prof Frank Gaillard ; et al. `` Pulmonary hypertension ''. Radiopaedia. Retrieved 2017 - 05 - 27. CS1 maint : Explicit use of et al. ( link ) Schoenwolf... ( et al. ), Gary C. ( 2009 ). Larsen 's human embryology ( 4th ed., Thoroughly rev. and updated. ed. ). Philadelphia : Churchill Livingstone / Elsevier. pp. `` Development of the Urogenital system ''. ISBN 9780443068119. External links Anatomy photo : 20 : 01 - 0106 at the SUNY Downstate Medical Center -- `` Heart : The Pericardial sac and Great vessels '' Anatomy photo : 20 : 07 - 0105 at the SUNY Downstate Medical Center -- `` Heart : Openings of Great Vessels into the Pericardial Sac '' Anatomy figure : 19 : 05 - 06 at Human Anatomy Online, SUNY Downstate Medical Center -- `` Mediastinal surface of the right lung '' Anatomy figure : 19 : 06 - 02 at Human Anatomy Online, SUNY Downstate Medical Center -- `` Mediastinal surface of the left lung '' Histology image : 13802loa -- Histology Learning System at Boston University Arteries and veins Vessels Arteries Nutrient artery Arteriole Metarteriole Capillaries Types Continuous Fenestrated Sinusoidal Precapillary sphincter Precapillary resistance Veins Vena comitans Superficial vein Deep vein Emissary veins Venous plexus Venule Lymph Lymphatic vessel Lymph Lymph capillary Circulatory system Systemic Left heart → Aorta → Arteries → Arterioles → Capillaries → Venules → Veins → Vena cava → ( Right heart ) Pulmonary Right heart → Pulmonary arteries → Lungs → Pulmonary vein → Left heart Microanatomy Tunica intima Endothelium Internal elastic lamina Tunica media Tunica externa Vasa vasorum Vasa nervorum Vascular nerves Rete mirabile Circulatory anastomosis Arteries of the torso and chest Lungs Pulmonary artery Right Left ( Ligamentum arteriosum ) Heart Coronary circulation Right coronary : SA nodal AV nodal Atrial Right marginal Posterior interventricular Left coronary : Anterior interventricular Left circumflex ( Left marginal ) Aorta Sections Ascending aorta Aortic arch Descending aorta Thoracic aorta Abdominal aorta Aortic body Aortic arch Brachiocephalic Thyreoidea ima Right subclavian Right common carotid Left common carotid External carotid Internal carotid Carotid body Carotid sinus Carotid bifurcation Left subclavian Internal thoracic : Anterior intercostal Thymic Pericardiacophrenic Perforating branches terminal ( Musculophrenic, superior epigastric ) Costocervical trunk : Highest intercostal ( Posterior intercostal 1 -- 2 ) Deep cervical Descending aorta visceral : Bronchial Esophageal Mediastinal parietal : Posterior intercostal 3 -- 11 Subcostal Superior phrenic Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pulmonary_artery&oldid=801023019 '' Categories : Arteries of the thorax Hidden categories : CS1 maint : Multiple names : authors list CS1 maint : Extra text : authors list CS1 maint : Explicit use of et al. Medicine infobox template using GraySubject or GrayPage Medicine infobox template using Dorlands parameter All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from November 2013 Talk Contents About Wikipedia Azərbaycanca Bosanski Català Čeština Dansk Deutsch Eesti Español Euskara فارسی Français Galego Hrvatski Italiano עברית Kurdî Latina Bahasa Melayu Nederlands 日本 語 Norsk Norsk nynorsk Occitan Polski Português Русский Simple English Slovenčina Slovenščina Српски / srpski Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски Svenska ไทย Türkçe Українська اردو 中文 Edit links This page was last edited on 17 September 2017, at 05 : 52. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. About Wikipedia

Question: how is the blood in the pulmonary artery different from blood in other arteries
Answer: carries deoxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs