What happened, in summary

A patient with adenocarcinoma in the right upper lobe of the lung was assessed by a multidisciplinary lung-cancer team. CT, PET-CT, CT-guided biopsy, bronchoscopy, and lung-function testing supported a clinical classification of cT1bN0M0 and showed that the patient was fit for surgery.

The team planned a uniportal video-assisted thoracic surgery right upper lobectomy. Before the operation, contrast-enhanced CT images were converted into an interactive three-dimensional model of the lungs, airways, tumor, pulmonary vessels, and enlarged lymph nodes. The surgeons could rotate the model, hide structures that had already been divided, and study the relationship between the remaining arteries, veins, and bronchus.

During the procedure, the model helped the team identify an anatomical variation in one branch of the pulmonary artery and distinguish it from nearby vessels. It also clarified the position of the right upper-lobe vein, the middle-lobe vein, and the right upper-lobe bronchus. The surgeons used this information to guide the order of dissection and complete the right upper lobectomy.

The case focused on how patient-specific three-dimensional imaging can support anatomical orientation during minimally invasive lung-cancer surgery, particularly when the pulmonary vessels do not follow the most common pattern.