CT angiography for living kidney donors: accuracy, cause of misinterpretation and prevalence of variation.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the accuracy of the use of multi-detector row CT (MDCT) to predict vascular anatomy in living kidney donors and to reveal the prevalence of vascular variations in a Korean population.


METHODS
A total of 153 living kidney donors that had undergone preoperative CT and nephrectomy, either with open or laparoscopic surgery, were selected retrospectively. The initial CT results were compared with the surgical findings and repeated review sessions of CT scans were performed to determine the causes of mismatches in discordant cases.


RESULTS
The accuracy of CT angiography was 95% to predict the number of renal vessels. Four arteries and two veins were missed during the initial CT interpretation due to perception errors (for two arteries and two veins) and technical limitations (two arteries). The prevalence of multiple renal arteries and veins, early branching of a renal artery and late confluence of a renal vein were 31%, 5%, 12%, 17%, respectively. The circumaortic renal vein and the bilateral inferior vena cava were found in two cases each (1.3%). One case (0.7%) each of a retroaortic renal vein and a supradiaphragmatic originated renal artery were found.


CONCLUSIONS
MDCT provides a reliable method to evaluate the vascular anatomy and variations of living kidney donors.
Chai
Jee Won
JW
Department of Radiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, The Institute of Radiation Medicine, Clinical Research Institute, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
Lee
Whal
W
Yin
Yong Hu
YH
Jae
Hwan Jun
HJ
Chung
Jin Wook
JW
Kim
Hyeon Hoe
HH
Park
Jae Hyung
JH
D000328:Adult; D000792:Angiography / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D019520:Living Donors; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012077:Renal Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D012082:Renal Veins / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000592:standards; D055815:Young Adult