GLOSSARY

The inferior lobe is the lowest and usually largest lobe of each lung, resting on the diaphragm and separated from the upper lobes by the oblique fissure; most of it lies at the back of the chest.

Characteristics

• Five segments: the superior segment and four basal segments (anterior, medial, lateral, and posterior); in the left lung, the anterior and medial basal segments are often fused.
• Auscultation: from the back, below the angle of the scapula.
• Ventilation and perfusion: when upright, the lung base has both more ventilation and more perfusion than the apex.

Clinical Application