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Anatomical Reconstructions of the Human Cardiac Venous System using Contrast-computed Tomography of Perfusion-fixed Specimens
06:02

Anatomical Reconstructions of the Human Cardiac Venous System using Contrast-computed Tomography of Perfusion-fixed Specimens

Published on: April 18, 2013

Variants and anomalies of thoracic vasculature on computed tomographic angiography in adults

Netanel S Berko1, Vineet R Jain, Alla Godelman

  • 1Department of Radiology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY 10467, USA.

Journal of Computer Assisted Tomography
|July 30, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Aortic arch branching variants are common in adults, found in 32.4% of patients. Anomalies are rare, but understanding these variations on computed tomographic (CT) angiography aids precise reporting and preprocedure planning.

Area of Science:

  • Radiology
  • Vascular Anatomy
  • Medical Imaging

Background:

  • Normal branching patterns of the aortic arch and central veins are crucial for vascular health.
  • Variations in these patterns can impact surgical and interventional procedures.
  • Computed tomographic (CT) angiography is a key imaging modality for evaluating thoracic vasculature.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of normal, variant, and anomalous branching patterns of the aortic arch and central veins.
  • To assess the clinical significance of these vascular variations.
  • To evaluate the accuracy of radiologist reporting for these findings on CT angiography.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective review of 1000 consecutive CT angiograms of the chest.
  • Analysis included 658 women and 342 men with a median age of 53 years.
  • Evaluation of aortic arch branching and central vein anatomy.

Main Results:

  • 65.9% of patients exhibited normal aortic arch branching and venous anatomy.
  • Aortic arch branching variants were present in 32.4%; anomalies in 1.5%.
  • Venous anomalies occurred in 0.7%; cardiothoracic radiologists reported anomalies more accurately (94% vs. 20%).

Conclusions:

  • Variant aortic arch branching patterns are common, while anomalies of central thoracic vasculature are infrequent.
  • Familiarity with these CT angiography findings is essential for accurate reporting.
  • Understanding these variations improves preprocedure planning and patient care.
Abstract

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