title: Volumetric thin-section CT: evaluation of pulmonaryinterlobar fissures.
abstract: We aimed to perform an imaging analysis of interlobar fissures and their variations using thin-section computed tomography (CT).
  
  
  
  Volumetric thin-section CT scanning was performed in 208 subjects. Interlobar fissures were observed on axial images, and reconstructed coronal and sagittal images were observed by multiplanar reformatting (MPR). The vessel distributions were verified by maximal intensity projection (MIP). On the axial images, the interlobar fissures were characterized by lines of hyperattenuation, bands of hyperattenuation, avascular zones, and mixed imaging. The interlobar fissures were divided into seven grades according to the percentage of defects over the entire fissure.
  
  
  
  On the axial images, of all interlobar fissures without avascular zones, 70.2% of the right oblique fissures (ROFs) and 94.2% of the left oblique fissures (LOFs) appeared as lines, and 83.2% of the horizontal fissures (HFs) appeared as bands. All of the interlobar fissures appeared as lines on the coronal and sagittal images. Of all cases, 17.8% showed fully complete interlobar fissures for all three fissures. Incomplete fissures included 41.3% of ROFs, 58.2% of HFs, and 45.2% of LOFs. In ROFs and LOFs, discontinuity was most frequently below 20%, while in HFs discontinuity was most frequently 41%-60%. The most common classification of incomplete interlobar fissures was a discontinuous avascular zone.
  
  
  
  Incomplete interlobar fissures are common variations of interlobar fissures. Techniques including volumetric thin-section CT, MPR, and MIP can assist in the diagnosis of incomplete interlobar fissures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China; Department of Radiology, Beijing Fengtai Hospital, Beijing, China. madaqing00@163.com.
authors.forename: Chun Shuang
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Guan
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Jiang Hong
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Xin Lian
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Da Qing
authors.initials: DQ
authors.lastname: Ma
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D054893:Cone-Beam Computed Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult