Ces radiol. 2023, 77(3):164-169 | DOI: 10.55095/CesRadiol2023/020

Variability of the celiac trunk and superior mesenteric artery: imaging with CT-angiography

Barbora Ferdová, Jiří Ferda

Klinika zobrazovacích metod LF UK a FN, Plzeň

Anatomický ústav LF UK, Plzeň

Aim: To evaluate the variability of branching of the celiac trunk and superiormesenteric artery using CT angiography and to compare the evaluation performedby a 1st year student of General Medicine and an experienced radiologist.

Methodology: Three-dimensional imaging of CT angiography using volumerendering technique (VRT) was performed based on the arterial phase data ofbiphasic abdominal CT performed on a dual-source CT machine. CT angiography in1000 consecutive examinations was first evaluated by a 1st year student ofGeneral Medicine, who recorded the examination in the form of threeprojections at least. The student recorded a variant of branching. The resultswere compared with those findings, which were evaluated independently of thestudent´s results by an experienced radiologist with 23 years of experience incomputed tomography.

Results: A total of 17 branching patterns were recorded. Celiac trunk andsuperior mesenteric artery divide the most frequent in 80.3% in the classicalvariant of branching, in 9% left hepatic artery from left gastric artery. Allother segmentation variants were below 5% in frequency. The agreement betweenthe evaluation of the student and the radiologist was in 89.3%, in theremaining 10.7% there was only in the differences in the evaluation ofsegmentation beyond the level distant from the gastroduodenal artery origin.

Conclusion: Classic variants of celiac trunk and superior mesenteric arteryare present in most cases; correct evaluation of CT angiography is possibleeven by a less experienced evaluator.

Keywords: celiac trunc, superior mesenteric artery, CT angiography

Published: September 1, 2023  Show citation