Celiac trunk and hepatic artery variants: A retrospective preliminary MSCT report among Egyptian patients

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility of MSCT angiography of the celiac trunk and hepatic artery variants with a non-tailored protocol among Egyptian patients. Patients and methods: 1285 Egyptian patients were retrospectively analyzed in our Radiology Department – Ain Shams University came for triphasic CT or CT aortic angiography. The celiac trunk origin and its main branches mainly the common hepatic artery were identified. The incidence of different celiac and hepatic artery anomalies was calculated depending on Uflacker’s and Michel’s classifications. Results: About 90.5% of the patients showed normal trifurcation pattern of the celiac trunk (Uflacker type I) with the commonest variant was gastro-splenic trunk (Uflacker type V) with 4.3% incidence. The bifurcation pattern was representing 7.7% of cases. Regarding the hepatic artery, 74.3% of the cases showed normal origin of the hepatic arteries (Michel type I) with the commonest anomaly was Michel type III with 12.5% incidence. Some cases are discovered not previously described by either Uflacker’s or Michel’s classifications. Conclusion: In our preliminary reports, Good imaging quality of MSCT angiography has proved effectiveness in depicting different celiac trunk and hepatic artery variants. This is important pre-interventional or pre-surgical to decrease the complications and the morbidity rates.

Keywords

• Celiac trunk (CT)
• Common hepatic artery (CHA)
• Multi-slice CT (MSCT)