RUL
Medical abbreviation · Respiratory
| Stands for | Right upper lobe |
|---|---|
| Categories | Medical |
RUL stands for Right upper lobe, a respiratory abbreviation.
Top lobe of the right lung, divided into apical, posterior and anterior segments and separated from the middle lobe by the horizontal fissure. Reactivation tuberculosis, silicosis and many lung cancers favor the upper lobes.
Example: CT: 2.3 cm spiculated RUL mass with ipsilateral hilar adenopathy.
Usage notes
A tumor at the very top of the lung (Pancoast tumor) can invade nerves and blood vessels, causing shoulder pain and Horner syndrome. In patients lying on their backs, aspirated material often reaches the posterior segment of the upper lobe or the superior segments of the lower lobes. Upper lobe predominance helps radiologists narrow the differential diagnosis of diffuse disease.
Related abbreviations
More respiratory abbreviations
- RAD – Reactive airway disease
- RDI – Respiratory disturbance index
- RDS – Respiratory distress syndrome
- RLL – Right lower lobe
- RML – Right middle lobe
- RSBI – Rapid shallow breathing index
- RV – Residual volume
- SABA – Short-acting beta2-agonist
- SAMA – Short-acting muscarinic antagonist
- SaO2 – Arterial oxygen saturation
- SBT – Spontaneous breathing trial
- SDB – Sleep-disordered breathing
See all 109 respiratory abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.