The left hepatic vein divides the left lobe into which of the following segments?

The left hepatic vein is a significant anatomical structure within the liver, functioning to help delineate the lobes and segments of the liver. It specifically divides the left lobe of the liver into two distinct segments: the medial segment and the lateral segment.

The medial segment corresponds to the area closer to the midline of the body and is associated with certain vascular and biliary structures, while the lateral segment is positioned further out towards the periphery of the liver. This division is crucial for various liver surgeries, as understanding these segments aids in performing segmentectomies and other surgical interventions.

The other options reflect different ways the liver can be segmented but do not accurately describe the specific division of the left lobe by the left hepatic vein. For example, anterior and posterior segments usually relate to the right lobe division, while quadrate and caudate segments pertain to specific parts within the liver, distinct from the left lobe’s division. Thus, recognizing that the left hepatic vein divides the left lobe into the medial and lateral segments provides valuable insight into liver anatomy and its clinical implications.