The hepatic veins divide the liver longitudinally into how many sections?

Study liver anatomy and function with our medical students test. Engage with detailed multiple choice questions, each with hints and explanations. Prepare effectively for your test!

Hepatic veins create the planes that segment the liver into four vascular sectors. The three main hepatic veins course along the visceral surface and form intersegmental boundaries: the right hepatic vein divides the right lobe into anterior and posterior sectors, while the left hepatic vein divides the left lobe into medial and lateral sectors. The combined arrangement yields four sectors: left lateral, left medial, right anterior, and right posterior. This sectoral division reflects functional drainage patterns and is important for understanding surgical planning and imaging, rather than the gross anatomical lobes.