BRONCHIAL ATRESIA ASSOCIATED WITH EPIBRONCHIAL RIGHT PULMONARY-ARTERYAND ABERRANT RIGHT MIDDLE LOBE ARTERY

We report a case of bronchial atresia associated with an epibronchial right pulmonary artery (ERPA) and an aberrant right middle lobe artery (ARMLA). CT showed a branching opacity, which was hyperintense on MR images, in the anterior segment of the right upper lobe with segmental hyperinflation and the ERPA. At surgery, the ARMLA was found to origi nate from the ERPA, crossing the anterior aspect of the right upper lo be bronchus. It is postulated that the ARMLA might have interfered wit h the normal bronchial development, leading to the development of segm ental bronchial atresia.