Normal vascular and biliary hepatic anatomy: 3D demonstration by multidetector CT

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Anatomy
• Hepatology

Background:

• Advancements in radiological and surgical techniques improve hepatic pathology diagnostics and therapeutics.
• Accurate understanding of hepatic vascular and biliary anatomy is essential for effective clinical interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate normal hepatic vascular and biliary anatomy using cadaveric livers and CT scans.
• To illustrate common morphological variations in hepatic vascular and biliary anatomy using CT-derived 3D models.

Main Methods:

• Four human cadaveric livers were injected with silicone and contrast medium in specific vascular or biliary structures.
• CT scans were acquired, and 3D rendered models were created to visualize anatomy.
• International Anatomical Nomenclature, based on Couinaud's work, was used for classification.

Main Results:

• 3D CT models successfully demonstrated normal hepatic vascular and biliary anatomy.
• The models were modified to depict common anatomical variations found in existing literature.
• The study provides detailed visualization of hepatic structures and their variations.

Conclusions:

• 3D rendered CT models are effective tools for illustrating normal hepatic anatomy and its variations.
• This anatomical knowledge is vital for improving diagnostic accuracy and therapeutic outcomes in hepatic pathology.
• The study contributes to a better understanding of liver anatomy for clinicians and researchers.