What it means
The pulmonary veins are the only veins in the adult body that carry oxygen-rich blood. They bring blood freshly loaded with oxygen from the lungs to the left atrium, which passes it to the left ventricleLEFT VEN-trih-kulThe heart's lower left chamber, which pumps oxygen-rich blood into the aorta and out to the body.Full entry to be pumped to the body. The pulmonary arteryPUL-muh-nair-ee AR-ter-eeThe large blood vessel that carries blood low in oxygen from the right side of the heart to the lungs.Full entry does the opposite: it carries oxygen-poor blood from the right ventricle to the lungs.
At a glance
| Spanish | vena pulmonar |
|---|---|
| Also written | pulmonary veins |
Easy to confuse with
pulmonary artery
The large blood vessel that carries blood low in oxygen from the right side of the heart to the lungs.
Related terms
vein
A blood vessel that carries blood back toward the heart.
pulmonary artery
The large blood vessel that carries blood low in oxygen from the right side of the heart to the lungs.
atrial
Relating to an atrium, one of the two upper chambers of the heart.
cardiovascular system
The heart and blood vessels, which together move blood through the body.
left ventricle
The heart's lower left chamber, which pumps oxygen-rich blood into the aorta and out to the body.