title: Demonstration of the anatomy of the esophageal artery using multidetector-row helical computed tomography.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the ability of multidetector-row helical computed tomography to depict the esophageal artery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with esophageal cancer (n = 88) underwent multidetector-row helical computed tomography. Degree of visualization, branching level, angle, and length of the esophageal artery were investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 79 (89.8%) of 88 patients, a total of 146 esophageal arteries were delineated from the origin to the insertion into the esophagus. Of the 146 arteries, 112 (76.7%) originated from the descending aorta and 34 (23.3%) from the right intercostal artery. Of the 112 aorta-originated arteries, 110 (98.2%) originated at a level between T6 and T11 from the left side of the descending aorta to go into the left wall of the esophagus. Of the 34 intercostal-originated arteries, 27 (79.4%) originated from right intercostal arteries between T5 and T7 to go into the esophagus.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Multi-detector-row helical computed tomography depicted the esophageal artery in a high percentage of the patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Advanced Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, Miyagi, Japan. takumikato@med.tohoku.ac.jp
authors.forename: Takumi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: Kei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takase
authors.forename: Hirofumi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ichikawa
authors.forename: Susumu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Satomi
authors.forename: Shoki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takahashi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003287:Contrast Media; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D004947:Esophagus / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007479:Iopamidol; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D036542:Tomography, Spiral Computed
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D007479:Iopamidol