Costal surface (lung)

The costal surface of the lung largely conforms to the costal surface of the pleura:

• it has the largest surface area of the lung surfaces
• its boundaries on each side are:
  • anteriorly, the anterior border of the lung
  • posteriorly, the posterior border of the lung
  • inferiorly, the diaphragmatic border of the lung
  • superiorly, the apex of the lung
• the surface is convex in the anterior to posterior direction from its origin behind sternum to the edge of the paravertebral gutters
• across the area of the paravertebral gutters posteriorly, the costal surface is formed into a complimentary concavity
• as it approximates closely to the inside of the thoracic cavity, the costal surface may exhibit indentations corresponding to the position of overlying ribs