Anatomy of the right anterosuperior area (segment 8) of the liver: evaluation with helical CT during arterial portography.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the segmental anatomy of the right anterosuperior area (segment 8) of the liver by using helical computed tomography during arterial portography (CTAP).


METHODS
Twenty-seven patients without lesions at segment 8 underwent helical CTAP. Three-dimensional portograms were reconstructed to verify the course of the portal veins. The number of subsegmental branches, in addition to the branching point and the distribution in segment 8, was assessed.


RESULTS
In 25 (93%) patients, the dorsal branch of segment 8 gave rise to dorsally directed branches posterior to the right hepatic vein. In only four (25%) of 16 patients in whom the medial branch of segment 8 arose near the porta hepatis, the long paracaval portal branch of the caudate lobe extended upward above the interval between the middle and right hepatic veins.


CONCLUSIONS
In most of the patients, the dorsal branches of segment 8 supplied the dorsocranial area of the right lobe posterior to the right hepatic vein. The paracaval portion of the caudate lobe was limited to below the interval between the middle and right hepatic veins in the majority of patients who showed medial branches of segment 8 arising near the porta hepatis. Recognition of this vascular anatomy is clinically important for preoperative evaluation of hepatic tumors in segment 8 because it may contribute to a safer surgical approach.
Cho
A
A
Second Department of Surgery, Chiba University School of Medicine, Japan. cho@maple.ocn.ne.jp
Okazumi
S
S
Takayama
W
W
Takeda
A
A
Iwasaki
K
K
Sasagawa
S
S
Natsume
T
T
Kono
T
T
Kondo
S
S
Ochiai
T
T
Ryu
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001650:Bile Duct Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D005706:Gallbladder Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006503:Hepatic Veins / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D007269:Injections, Intra-Arterial; D007479:Iopamidol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D008099:Liver / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000556:secondary; D008297:Male; D017538:Mesenteric Artery, Superior; D008875:Middle Aged; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011169:Portal Vein / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011172:Portography; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*
D003287:Contrast Media; C057937:iomeprol; D007479:Iopamidol