title: The retroaortic left renal vein abnormalities in cross-sectional imaging.
abstract: The normal anatomic course of the left renal vein (LRV) from the kidney to inferior vena cava (IVC) is usually preaortic. It is called retroaortic left renal vein (RLRV) when located between the aorta and vertebra; the circumaortic left renal vein (CLRV) has both a preaortic and retroaortic course. In this study, we aimed to find the incidence and characteristics of LRV abnormalities in routine abdominal CT and MR examinations conducted in our clinic.
  
  
  
  A total of 2189 abdominal CT and MR examinations, performed between April 2007 and June 2009, were reviewed retrospectively for retroaortic and circumaortic LRV abnormalities.
  
  
  
  LRV abnormalities were detected in 50 (2.3%) examinations. Forty-four of these (2%) were RLRV and 6 (0.3%) were circumaortic LRV abnormalities.
  
  
  
  Preoperative knowledge of LRV abnormalities facilitates the safe performance of surgery and reveals the clinical symptoms. It is easy to see LRV and its drainage way on routine CT and MR imagings.
authors.affiliation: Radiology Clinic, Tekirdağ State Hospital, Tekirdağ
authors.forename: Cennet
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sahin
authors.affiliation: Radiology Clinic, Sakarya Hendek State Hospital, Sakarya
authors.forename: Ozlem Kitiki
authors.initials: OK
authors.lastname: Kaçira
authors.affiliation: Radiology Department, Medical Faculty, Marmara University, Istanbul, Turkey
authors.forename: Davut
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tüney
mesh_terms: D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D012082:Renal Veins / Q000002:abnormalities*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media