Evaluation of renal artery and veins with multidetector CT angiography in living kidney donors

The aim of this retrospective study was to investigate the prevalence of renal artery (RA) and renal vein (RV) variations in live kidney donor candidates with multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) angiography, and the effect and distribution of these changes. MDCT angiography examinations of 274 patients with a mean age of 46.6 ± 12.6 were retrospectively evaluated. For RA; diameters, early branching, presence of polar and hilar accessory artery, for RV; number for RV, late confluence, presence of circumaortic, retroaortic left renal vein, gonadal and retroperitoneal veins draining into renal vein, coexistence of RA-RV variation, distance between SMA and RA the effect on the presence of accessory artery was investigated. The prevalence of multiple RA was 42.6% (2 RA 36.5%, 3 RA 5.1%) and early branching was 18.2%. The prevalence of multiple right RVs was 27.7% (25.9% for 2 RVs, 1.1% for 3 RVs and 0.7% for 4 RVs). Circumortic left RV prevalence was 1.8%, retroaortic left RV was 5.1%. Right RV late confluence was 5.5% and left RV late confluence was 16.4%. There was a significant relationship between superior mesenteric artery (SMA) - main RA (mRA) distances and presence of accessory polar artery for right kidney (p <0.001 in the presence of inferior polar artery; p = 0.022 in the presence of superior polar artery); unlike it, no significant correlation was found for left kidney (p=0,202 and p=0,213). There was a significant relationship between RA and RV variations for right kidney (p = 0.029), but no significant correlation was found for left kidney (p = 0.178). Accessory RAs are frequently observed. Multiple right RV is the most common RV variation. In the presence of the inferior polar artery for the right kidney, the distance between the SMA - mRA is shorter and the same distance is longer in the presence of the superior polar artery. In those with variation in right RA, RV variation is also detected. Key Words: Renal artery, renal vein, variations, CT angiography, living kidney donors