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Anatomical variations of peripancreatic veins and their intrapancreatic tributaries: multidetector-row CT scanning

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Abstract

Background

To date the anatomy of the intrapancreatic and peripancreatic veins using multidetector-row CT (MDCT) was not assessed. The object of this study is to establish 3D CT anatomy of these veins.

Methods

A total of 100 consecutive patients who underwent abdominal triple-phase CT using 16-detector MDCT were retrospectively reviewed. The anatomical variations of the peripancreatic and intrapancreatic veins were assessed.

Results

Among the 100 cases, 42 cases (42%) had a single posterior superior pancreaticoduodenal vein crossing the ventral side of the common bile duct, while 30 cases (30%) had an uncinate vein running upward behind the medial side of the pancreatic. In the pancreatic head and body/tail area, there were many small veins that directly entered the superior mesenteric or splenic vein. In 59 cases (59%), the centro-inferior pancreatic vein ran transversely along the inferior surface of the pancreatic body and drained the anterior or inferior parts of the pancreatic body, mainly into the splenic vein.

Conclusion

Many variations exist in the running patterns of intrapancreatic veins as well as peripancreatic veins. Recognition of abnormalities of intrapancreatic veins on CT in the light of normal CT anatomy may contribute to the interpretation of pathological conditions of the pancreas.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, Oita University Faculty of Medicine, Hasama-machi, Oita, 879-5593, Japan

    Norio Hongo, Hiromu Mori, Shunro Matsumoto & Yuriko Okino

  2. Department of Radiology, Shinbeppu Hospital, Oita, Japan

    Shinya Ueda

  3. Department of Radiology, Oita Oka Hospital, Oita, Japan

    Rieko Shuto

Authors
  1. Norio Hongo
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  2. Hiromu Mori
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  3. Shunro Matsumoto
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  4. Yuriko Okino
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  5. Shinya Ueda
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  6. Rieko Shuto
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Norio Hongo.

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Hongo, N., Mori, H., Matsumoto, S. et al. Anatomical variations of peripancreatic veins and their intrapancreatic tributaries: multidetector-row CT scanning. Abdom Imaging 35, 143–153 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00261-007-9195-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00261-007-9195-3

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