Left adrenal vein localization by 3D real-time volume-rendering CTA before laparoscopic nephrectomy in living renal donors

• Published in: Abdominal imaging Vol. 26; no. 5; pp. 553 - 556
• Main Authors: SCATARIGE, J. C, HORTON, K. M, RATNER, L. E, FISHMAN, E. K
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Springer 01.09.2001; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adrenal Glands - blood supply; Angiography - methods; Aorta; Biological and medical sciences; Cardiovascular system; Computed tomography; Computer programs; Data processing; Female; Humans; Imaging, Three-Dimensional; Intravenous administration; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Kidney; Kidney Transplantation; Laparoscopy; Living Donors; Male; Mapping; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Nephrectomy; Nephrectomy - methods; Radiodiagnosis. Nmr imagery. Nmr spectrometry; software; Tomography, X-Ray Computed - methods; Veins; Kidney disease; Human; Urinary system disease; Radiodiagnosis; Suprarenal vein; Living donor; Samplings; Transplantation; Homotransplantation; Kidney; Surgery; Medical imagery; Digital angiography; Localization
• ISSN: 0942-8925; 2366-004X; 1432-0509; 2366-0058
• DOI: 10.1007/s002610000205

We investigated whether the left adrenal vein could be consistently localized on three-dimensional (3D) real-time volume-rendering computed tomographic angiographic (CTA) mapping in a group of living renal donors before laparoscopic nephrectomy. Sixty-six consecutive potential renal donors were referred for CTA vascular mapping before laparoscopic donor nephrectomy. Thirty-three patients were examined on a single-detector helical CT scanner and the other 33 were examined on a multidetector unit. In each patient, arterial phase and venous phase volumetric data sets were acquired after the intravenous injection of 150 cc of non-ionic contrast material. Three radiologists reviewed the data sets at a free-standing workstation after the application of 3D volume-rendering software and reached a consensus on whether the left adrenal vein was visualized and, when seen, its position relative to the abdominal aorta. The left adrenal vein was found in 92.5% of the 66 donors (91% in the single-detector group and 94% in the multidetector group). The junction of the left adrenal vein and left renal vein averaged 5.2 mm (range = 0-13 mm) from the left lateral wall of the abdominal aorta. Three-dimensional real-time volume-rendering CTA with single-detector and multidetector scanners permits consistent localization of the left adrenal vein in more than 90 % of prospective living renal donors.