title: Evaluation of left renal vein and inferior vena cava variations through routine abdominal multi-slice computed tomography.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency of left renal vein (LRV) and inferior vena cava (IVC) variations and the effect of gender on this frequency, as well as the presence of associated abdominal pathologies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Multi-slice computed tomography (MSCT) images from 746 patients were evaluated retrospectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Left renal vein variations were identified in 9.8% of cases, while retroaortic LRV (RLRV) and circumaortic LRV (CLRV) were found in 7.4% and 2.4% of cases, respectively. No significant correlation was found between gender and LRV variations (p = 0.797). Of the cases with LRV and IVC variations, 73% had abdominal pathologies, the most common of which were nephrolithiasis, which appeared in 18 (32%) cases, and renal cysts, which appeared in 14 (25.4%) cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MSCT is a rapid and reliable method of identifying LRV and IVC variations and associated abdominal pathologies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Medical School, Harran University, Sanliurfa, Turkey. drnurefsan@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Boyaci
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Karakas
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Dokumacı
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yildiz
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cece