The Superior Mesenteric Artery Angle and Abdominal Main Vessel Diameters in Normovolemic Children: For Practical...

Knowledge of the normal size of important abdominal vessels is important for determination of hydration status and intravascular volume. Knowing the normal value of superior mesenteric artery (SMA) exit angle from the aorta (SMA angle) is necessary for the diagnosis of clinical pathologies caused by SMA compression.

The aim of this study was to determine the normal SMA angles and normal diameters of the main abdominal vascular structures of pediatric participants on ultrasonography (USG).

Between January 2019 and July March 2019, the USG examinations obtained from 210 participants (age range, 1-214 years; mean age, 83.5 [SD, 5.5] months; females 51%, males 49%) with normal abdominal examinations were prospectively evaluated. The participants were divided into 5 groups according to age. Body mass index values of the participants were kept equal.

The diameters of the abdominal vascular structures increased with age, and the statistical differences among the age groups were significant. In all groups, no statistically significant difference was observed between sexes (P > 0.05). The SMA angle was between 17° and 58° (mean, 37.8° [SD, 8.5°]). A statistically significant difference was observed between the age groups in terms of SMA angle (P < 0.05). No statistically difference was found between sexes (P > 0.58-0.912).

In our study, we think that the measurements obtained by USG provide normal values of the diameters of the abdominal main vessels and SMA angle. These values can be used as a reference for interpreting hydration status, vascular diameter assessment, and SMA compression syndromes.