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The umbilicus: a reliable surface landmark for the aortic bifurcation?
Lukas Attwell1, Sarah Rosen2, Bhavin Upadhyay3
1Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals, Basildon, Essex, SS16 5NL, UK. lukas.attwell@doctors.org.uk.
Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy : SRA
|June 6, 2015
Summary
The umbilicus is a generally reliable surface landmark for the abdominal aortic bifurcation. However, subcutaneous fat thickness, especially in older males, can affect its precise location.
Area of Science:
- Anatomy
- Vascular Surgery
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Clinical diagnosis and treatment often rely on anatomical surface landmarks.
- The reliability of vascular anatomical landmarks in living individuals is not well-established.
- The umbilicus is traditionally considered a landmark for the abdominal aortic bifurcation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate factors influencing the position of the umbilicus relative to the abdominal aortic bifurcation.
- To assess the reliability of the umbilicus as a surface landmark for aortic bifurcation.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 95 abdominal CT scans after excluding those with significant intra-abdominal pathology.
- Measurement of the craniocaudal distance between the aortic bifurcation and umbilicus.
- Documentation of subcutaneous fat thickness, patient age, and gender.
Main Results:
- The umbilicus was located an average of -6.3 ± 26.5 mm from the aortic bifurcation.
- Increased subcutaneous fat thickness correlated with a more caudal umbilicus position relative to the aortic bifurcation.
- This association was statistically significant in males over 65 years old.
Conclusions:
- The umbilicus serves as a reliable clinical surface landmark for the abdominal aortic bifurcation.
- While inter-patient variation exists, the aortic bifurcation typically falls within a clinically relevant range from the umbilicus.
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