Definition

Noun: 1. (Anatomy) A depression or fissure where vessels, nerves, or ducts enter or leave a bodily organ. * This is the primary anatomical definition. A hilus is a specific, often slit-like, indentation on the surface of an organ that serves as the entry and exit point for essential structures like blood vessels, lymphatic vessels, nerves, and ureters.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The renal artery and vein connect to the kidney at its hilus.
  • Surgeons must be careful not to damage the structures at the hilus of the lung during the procedure.
  • The hilus of the spleen is the gateway for its vascular supply.

Advanced Usage

• "Hilar" (adjective): Pertaining to or located near a hilus.
  • The CT scan showed enlarged hilar lymph nodes.
• The term is most commonly used in medical and anatomical contexts when describing specific organs such as the kidney, lung, spleen, lymph nodes, and ovaries.

Variants and Related Words

• Hilum: This is a synonym for hilus. In precise anatomical terminology, "hilum" is sometimes used for the general concept, while "hilus" can refer to the actual depression itself, but in practice they are often used interchangeably.
• Hilar (adj.): Of or relating to a hilus.
• Porta: A similar anatomical term, sometimes used synonymously with hilus, especially for the liver (porta hepatis).

Synonyms

• Hilum
• Fissure (in this specific anatomical context)
• Porta (in specific organ contexts, e.g., liver)

Notes

• The plural form is hili.
• This is a specialized term rarely encountered outside of medical, biological, or anatomical fields.

Noun

1. (anatomy) a depression or fissure where vessels or nerves or ducts enter a bodily organ
   • the hilus of the kidney