title: Multidetector-row CT angiographic imaging of the celiac trunk: anatomy and normal variants.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the ability of MDCT reformations in describing the celiac trunk vascular anatomy and variations.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 555 MDCT angiographies of the abdominal aorta performed between January 2002 and July 2005 were retrospectively reviewed to assess the celiac trunk vascular anatomy and variations. All the patients with pathological condition likely to affect normal vascular anatomy as well as CT exams technically inadequate were excluded from our study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 524 MDCT angiographies of abdominal aorta were included in our study. The classical configuration of the celiac trunk was detected in 72.1%. The hepato-splenic trunk was detected in 50.4% of cases; the hepato-gastro-splenic trunk was detected in 19.4% of cases; the gastro-splenic trunk was detected in 2.3% of cases. The hepato-spleno-gastric trunk associated with hepatic arteries variants were found in 15.4%. The hepato-splenic trunk, the hepato-gastric trunk, the hepato-splenic-mesenteric trunk, and the spleno-gastric trunk were found in 2.7, 5, 0.4, and 3.6%, respectively. In 0.6%, we found an absent celiac trunk.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The knowledge of the type of anatomical variants and their subtypes is fundamental for a correct pre-operative vascular planning in surgical or radiological abdominal procedures. Multidetector-row CT (MDCT) provides high-quality 3D-reconstructed images and allows non-invasive assessment of normal anatomy and anatomic variants of celiac trunk.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Science and Bioimaging, Section of Radiology, University "G. D'Annunzio", Osp. "SS. Annunziata", Via dei Vestini, 66013 Chieti, Italy. r.iezzi@rad.unich.it
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Iezzi
authors.forename: Antonio Raffaele
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Cotroneo
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Giancristofaro
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Santoro
authors.forename: Maria Luigia
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Storto
mesh_terms: D000792:Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D001012:Aorta, Abdominal / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002445:Celiac Artery / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003287:Contrast Media; D006499:Hepatic Artery / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media