CT ANGIOGRAPHIC STUDY OF ANATOMICAL VARIATIONS OF INFERIOR PHRENIC ARTERIES

Abstract

Introduction: Inferior phrenic arteries (IPA) mostly originate from the abdominal aorta or celiac artery. However, they can originate from renal arteries, splenic arteries, and other sources. Knowledge of existing variations is paramount in surgery and radiology, as right IPAs can be a cause of postoperative bleeding in liver transplantation, and left IPA can be a cause of bleeding in gastroesophageal hemorrhage. The variations in the origins of IPAs in the Kazakh population were investigated in this study. Methods: CT angiographies of 155 patients were retrospectively analyzed. The origins of IPAs were detected using 3D and multiplanar reconstructions. Results: 48 patients had right and left IPAs originating together from either the celiac trunk or the abdominal aorta. 107 cases had separate origins. The most prevalent origins of the right IPA were the celiac artery (42.99%), the abdominal aorta (37.38%), and the right renal artery (15.89%). The most prevalent origins of left IPA were the celiac trunk (61.68%) and the abdominal aorta (32.71%). Overall, 12 combinations of artery origins were noted. Conclusion: The study presents the variations in origins of IPAs which is important in planning surgical and radiological interventions and should increase awareness among surgeons and radiologists during different procedures.