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. 2021 Jan 25;25(1):1990.
doi: 10.4102/sajr.v25i1.1990. eCollection 2021.

The prevalence of anatomical variants of the coeliac trunk and renal arteries on contrast-enhanced abdominal computed tomography scans at Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital

Raeesa Omar  1 , Margaret Kisansa  1 , Alireza D Dehnavi  1
Affiliations

The prevalence of anatomical variants of the coeliac trunk and renal arteries on contrast-enhanced abdominal computed tomography scans at Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital

Raeesa Omar et al. SA J Radiol. .

Abstract

Background: Anatomical variations of the coeliac trunk and renal arteries should be radiologically reported as they affect the surgical approach and subsequent outcome in patients.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of anatomical variations of the coeliac trunk and renal arteries and whether there is a relationship between the occurrence of these variations at Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital.

Method: Arterial phase abdominal computed tomography (CT) or CT abdominal angiograms performed during January and December 2017 were analysed. The variations of the coeliac trunk and renal arteries were classified according to accepted classification systems and expressed as a percentage of the study population.

Results: A normal classical coeliac trunk was present in 82.2% and a non-classical pattern was present in 9.7%. The most common variation of the coeliac trunk other than the non-classical pattern was a hepatosplenic trunk, which was present in 3% of the study population. A normal right and left renal artery was present in 88.2% and 83.7%, respectively. The most common variations of the renal arteries were bilateral hilar arteries seen in 3.4% on the right and 9.1% on the left. Renal artery variations were more prevalent on the left than on the right. Concurrent variations of both the right and the left renal arteries were present in 2.4% and variations of both the coeliac trunk and renal arteries were present in 5% of the study population.

Conclusion: The most common variation of the coeliac trunk in this study is comparable to other studies in non-African populations. Concurrent vascular variations between the renal arteries and between the coeliac trunk and renal arteries may co-exist.

Keywords: CT; anatomical; arteries; coeliac; renal; scan; trunk; variants.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no financial or personal relationships that may have inappropriately influenced them in writing this article.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Schematic representation of the different types of coeliac trunk variants according to Ulflacker’s classification: (a) type I; (b) type II; (c) type II; (d) type III; (e) type V; (f) type V; (g) type VI; (h) type VIII.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Type 1 classic trifurcation. Coronal multi-planar reconstruction image (a) and three-dimensional reconstruction images (b) show a type I coeliac classic trifurcation. Additionally, there is a replaced right hepatic artery.
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
Sagittal multiplanar reconstruction (a) and three-dimensional (b) images show Ulflacker’s Type 1 non-classic pattern.
FIGURE 4
FIGURE 4
Variations in renal arteries: (a) type 1a – 1 hilar artery, (b) type 1b – 1 hilar with 1 superior pole extra-hilar branch, (c) type 1c – 2 hilar arteries, (d) type 1d – 1 hilar with 1 superior polar artery, (e) type 2a – 1 hilar with 1 inferior polar artery, (f) type 2b – 2 hilar arteries with 1 superior pole extrahilar branch, (g) type 2c – 1 hilar with a precocious bifurcation, and (h) type 2d – 3 hilar arteries.
FIGURE 5
FIGURE 5
Accessory renal arteries – three-dimensional volume rendered image shows two renal arteries on the right – there is an accessory inferior polar artery (thick arrows) arising from the aorta below the inferior mesenteric artery (thin arrow). There are three renal arteries on the left.
FIGURE 6
FIGURE 6
Coeliac trunk variations: The most common variant types are expressed as a percentage.
FIGURE 7
FIGURE 7
Right renal artery variations: The most common variant types are expressed as a percentage.
FIGURE 8
FIGURE 8
Left renal artery variations: The most common variant types are expressed as a percentage.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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