Prostate Arterial Anatomy: A Primer for Interventional Radiologists.

Area of Science:

• Vascular anatomy
• Interventional radiology
• Urology

Background:

• Prostate artery embolization (PAE) effectively treats lower urinary tract symptoms associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia.
• Accurate identification of prostatic arteries (PAs) is a significant challenge in PAE.
• Variability in pelvic arterial anatomy necessitates a structured approach to PA identification.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and emphasize the importance of 3 key classification systems for categorizing pelvic vasculature.
• To enhance understanding of internal iliac artery branching patterns, PA origins, and intraprostatic branching.
• To improve technical success and reduce complications in PAE procedures.

Main Methods:

• Focus on 3 clinically relevant classification systems for pelvic vasculature.
• Analysis of internal iliac artery branching patterns.
• Categorization of prostatic artery origin variations.
• Examination of intraprostatic arterial branching.

Main Results:

• Detailed understanding of pelvic arterial anatomy is essential for PAE.
• Classification systems provide a framework for navigating anatomical variations.
• Standardized categorization aids in predicting and identifying PA origins.

Conclusions:

• Mastery of pelvic vasculature classification systems is vital for interventional radiologists performing PAE.
• Improved anatomical understanding leads to better patient outcomes and fewer complications.
• This review highlights critical knowledge for optimizing PAE procedures.