Mnemonic

Left Lung Segments

A memory aid for the bronchopulmonary segments of the left lung.

Expansion

Apicoposterior, anterior, superior and inferior lingular; superior and three or four basal segments

Expansion

Upper lobe

  • Apicoposterior - apical and posterior fused
  • Anterior
  • Superior lingular
  • Inferior lingular

Lower lobe

  • Superior
  • Anteromedial basal - anterior and medial basal commonly fused
  • Lateral basal
  • Posterior basal

That gives 8 segments, though some classifications separate the fused pairs and count up to 10.

The lingula is the left-sided counterpart of the right middle lobe, but it belongs to the upper lobe rather than forming a lobe of its own, a direct consequence of the heart occupying the space where a middle lobe would otherwise sit.