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Case Reports
. 2018 Apr;97(17):e0546.
doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000010546.

Radiological features of azygos and hemiazygos continuation of inferior vena cava: A case report

Yin Liu  1 , Dan Guo  2 , Jie Li  3 , Xuebin Zhang  4 , Jian He  4 , Mei Huang  1 , Jinghong Dai  1 , Hourong Cai  1
Affiliations
Case Reports

Radiological features of azygos and hemiazygos continuation of inferior vena cava: A case report

Yin Liu et al. Medicine (Baltimore). 2018 Apr.

Abstract

Rationale: Azygos and hemiazygos continuation of the inferior vena cava (IVC) is uncommon. It is rare especially when it is not associated with congenital heart disease or deep venous thrombosis.

Patient concerns: We report an interesting case of an interstitial lung disease with an interrupted IVC with azygous and hemiazygos continuation. A 67-year-old man suffered from cough and shortness of breath.

Diagnoses: Computed tomography revealed absence of the hepatic segment of the IVC with azygos and hemiazygos continuation. The patient did not have congenital anomalies of the remaining thoracoabdominal vasculature and viscera. The diagnosis of azygos and hemiazygos continuation of IVC was made by inferior venacavography.

Interventions: There was no significant association between interstitial lung disease and expanded azygos and hemiazygos veins. The patient was treated with corticosteroids.

Outcomes: After 6 months of follow-up, the patient was asymptomatic.

Lessons: It is important to recognize the enlarged azygos vein at the confluence with the superior vena cava and in the retrocrural space to avoid misdiagnosis as a right-sided paratracheal mass or retrocrural adenopathy.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The high-resolution computed tomography. (A) Chest CT showed peripheral, subpleural reticular opacities in bilateral lungs. (B)–(D) CT angiography images showed a dilated azygos vein accompanied by continuation of interrupted IVC (arrows). IVC = inferior vena cava.
Figure 2
Figure 2
IVC angiography. (A) and (B) IVC angiography confirmed the total interruption of IVC below the hepatic vein with azygos vein continuation, draining into the SVC. IVC = inferior vena cava, SVC = superior vena cava.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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