Left paraspinal line
Linea paraspinalis sinistra
Definition
The left paraspinal line is the interface between the left lung and the paraspinous fat and soft tissues.
Normal radiographic appearance:
The left paraspinal line runs vertically from the aortic arch to the diaphragm and lies medial to the paraortic line, although sometimes it can lie lateral to the paraortic line.
Reported on 41% of posteroanterior radiographs, the left paraspinal line is seen more frequently than the right paraspinal line due to the presence of the descending thoracic aorta on the left, which promotes the tangential contact of the left lung necessary to produce the lung-mediastinum interface.
Abnormal radiographic appearance:
The paraspinal lines may be displaced laterally by prominent mediastinal fat or osteophytes. Abnormal contour or displacement may also suggest posterior mediastinal disease such as mediastinal hematoma, mass or extramedullary hematopoiesis.
References
Gibbs JM, Chandrasekhar CA, Ferguson EC, Oldham SA. Lines and stripes: where did they go?--From conventional radiography to CT. Radiographics. 2007 Jan-Feb;27(1):33-48. doi: 10.1148/rg.271065073. PMID: 17234997.
Marano R, Liguori C, Savino G, Merlino B, Natale L, Bonomo L. Cardiac silhouette findings and mediastinal lines and stripes: radiograph and CT scan correlation. Chest. 2011 May;139(5):1186-1196. doi: 10.1378/chest.10-0660. PMID: 21540217.
Cardiac silhouette findings and mediastinal lines and stripes: X-ray and computed tomography correlation R. Marano, G. Savino, C. Liguori, A. Meduri, L. Natale, L. Bonomo; Rome/IT CR-222 poster ECR 2009
Mediastinal lines, stripes and interfaces on PA chest radiograph with CT correlations - N. Bystrická, H. Poláková, J. Sykora; Bratislava/SKC-0442ECR 2013 10.1594/ecr2013/C-04
