A depression or pit on an organ where blood vessels, nerves, and ducts enter and leave.
Structure
A hilum is a concave region rather than a distinct tissue. Connective tissue around it organizes the entering and exiting structures into a tight neurovascular bundle.
Function
The renal hilum is where the renal artery, renal vein, and ureter join the kidney. The pulmonary hilum carries the main bronchus and the pulmonary vessels into the lung.
Clinical note
Many organ-specific cancers spread first to lymph nodes near the relevant hilum, which makes hilar nodes important targets for surgical and imaging assessment.
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Hilum starts with H and ends with M. Browse other body parts along the same letter.
Body Parts that contain a letter from "Hilum":