Right posterior basal bronchopulmonary segment

Looks like

The lowest, rearmost wedge of the right lower lobe, lying on the diaphragm next to the spine.

What it does

Takes part in gas exchange; being lowest when lying on the back, it gets much of the blood flow.

Keeping it well

Fluid or food breathed in while lying flat often settles here, causing pneumonia. Fever with cough after choking needs a doctor.

Its parts

• Right posterior basal segmental artery

Related conditions

• Acute respiratory distress syndrome
• Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency
• Altitude sickness
• Asbestosis and asbestos-related disease
• Aspergillosis
• Asthma
• Breathing pattern disorder
• Bronchiectasis
• Bronchiolitis & RSV
• Chronic venous insufficiency
• Clotting disorders (thrombophilia & APS)
• COPD
• COVID-19
• Cystic fibrosis
• Deep vein thrombosis
• Drowning
• Echinococcosis (hydatid disease)
• Endemic fungal infections (histoplasmosis, coccidioidomycosis)
• Hantavirus infection
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Hypothermia & frostbite
• Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
• Influenza
• Kawasaki disease
• Legionnaires' disease
• Leptospirosis (Weil's disease)
• Long COVID (post-viral syndrome)
• Lung abscess
• Lung cancer
• Measles
• Mesothelioma
• Metabolic syndrome
• Molar pregnancy and gestational trophoblastic disease
• Neonatal sepsis
• Neuroendocrine tumours (carcinoid)
• Orthostatic hypotension & POTS
• Peripheral artery disease
• Phaeochromocytoma & hyperaldosteronism
• Pleural effusion
• Pleurisy
• Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP)
• Pneumonia
• Pneumothorax
• Pre-eclampsia
• Pulmonary embolism
• Pulmonary hypertension
• Pulmonary oedema
• Raynaud's phenomenon
• Respiratory distress syndrome of the newborn
• Sarcoidosis
• Sepsis
• Shock (circulatory failure)
• SIADH (inappropriate antidiuretic hormone)
• Silicosis and coal workers' pneumoconiosis
• Sudden infant death syndrome
• Systemic sclerosis (scleroderma)
• Tuberculosis
• Varicose veins
• Vasculitis (GCA & others)
• Whooping cough