The frequency of coexistence of renal artery and vein variations on abdominal CT

Ozlem Yilmaz, The Frequency of Coexistence of Renal Artery and Vein Variations on Abdominal CT, Medical Speciality Thesis, Bolu 2009. The aim of this study is to determine the frequency of coexistence of renal artery and vein variations in individuals who had abdominal CT examination for any reason.Between 2003 and 2009, a total of 505 patients aged between 8-96 year-old (217 female and 288 male) that underwent abdominal CT examination in our department were included in the study. Abdominal CT examinations were evaluated for the presence of renal artery variations [early branching, multiple renal arteries (hilar-polar-supplementary artery)], right renal vein variations (multiple right renal vein, split of right renal vein, gonadal vein connected to right renal vein) and left renal vein variations (circumaortic left renal vein, retroaortic left renal vein, multiple left renal vein). Presence of accompaying IVC anomaly (duplication and transposition) was evaluated as well. The frequency of renal artery and vein variations were calculated in percentages.The frequency of uni- or bilateral early branching of main renal artery were found to be 0.6% and 2.97% whereas uni- or bilateral multiple renal arteries were found to be 12.3% and 2.97% respectively. On the right side the frequency of multiple renal veins, splitted renal vein and gonadal vein draining to renal vein were found to be 20.4%, 0.2%, 8.9% respectively. On the left side the frequency of circumaortic renal vein and retroaortic renal vein were 6% and 3.96% respectively. No left-sided multiple renal veins and accompanying IVC anomaly were detected.The frequency of coexistence of renal artery and vein variations were found to be 7.5%. Within this group, presence of left hilar artery and double renal vein on the right side in nine (1.78%) of 38 patients were found to be the most frequent coexistent variations.