Imaging of Congenital and Acquired Disorders of the Pulmonary Artery

The pulmonary artery is affected by a multitude of conditions that can be congenital or acquired. These disorders may be detected incidentally, or the clinical features of the different conditions may overlap. This pictorial review illustrates the imaging findings of some of the main conditions that affect the pulmonary artery by considering them in 3 main categories: congenital disorders; enlargement of the pulmonary arteries, most commonly seen in pulmonary hypertension; obstruction or occlusion of the pulmonary arteries, as seen in thromboembolic disease or large vessel vasculitis. It is important for the radiologist to understand the radiological manifestations of these disorders, as early recognition would be of significant benefit in their diagnosis and treatment.