Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Study of the left renal variations by means of magnetic resonance imaging

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

A prospective study was designed to figure out the percentages of the left renal vein variations using routine lumbar spinal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with neurological problems.

Methods

Between March 2010 and October 2010, the study population was recruited from a total of 2,644 consecutive patients who would undergo a routine lumbar spinal MRI examination. In addition to the routine MRI sequences, axial, balanced turbo field echo sequence (BTFE-BH SENSE) was applied after detection of a left renal vein variation.

Results

As the left renal vein variations, retroaortic left renal vein (RLRV) and circumaortic left renal vein were detected. The number of cases with the correspondent percentages of the total left renal vein variations, RLRV and circumaortic left renal vein were 71/2,644 (2.68%), 44/2,644 (1.66%) and 27/2,644 (1.02%), respectively. In cases with RLRV, the numbers of males and females with their correspondent percentages were 19/44 (43.2%) and 25/44 (56.8%), respectively. In cases with circumaortic left renal vein, the numbers of males and females with their correspondent percentages were 13/27 (48.1%) and 14/27 (51.9%), respectively. With Chi-square test, no statistically significant gender difference was found between the percentages of left renal vein variations (P = 0.83).

Conclusions

MRI is useful in detecting RLRV and circumaortic left renal vein. If a left renal vein variation is detected, an additional BTFE-BH SENSE sequence is suggested to confirm whether it is retroaortic or circumaortic.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Cheon JE, Kim WS, Kim IO et al (2006) Nutcracker syndrome in children with gross haematuria: Doppler sonographic evaluation of the left renal vein. Pediatr Radiol 36:682–686

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Ector J, De Buck S, Adams J et al (2005) Cardiac three-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging and fluoroscopy merging: a new approach for electroanatomic mapping to assist catheter ablation. Circulation 112:3769–3776

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Gupta N, Swaminathan SV, DeMarco JK (2005) Initial experience with balanced turbo field echo in depicting carotid artery stenosis: comparison with multiple overlapping thin slab acquisition and 3D contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography. J Magn Reson Imaging 22:354–360

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Hall JT, Raval B (1986) Retroaortic left renal vein: an interpretive pitfall on computed tomography. J Comput Tomogr 10:55–56

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Israel GM, Lee VS, Edye M et al (2002) Comprehensive MR imaging in the preoperative evaluation of living donor candidates for laparoscopic nephrectomy: initial experience. Radiology 225:427–432

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Karaman B, Koplay M, Ozturk E et al (2007) Retroaortic left renal vein: multidetector computed tomography angiography findings and its clinical importance. Acta Radiol 48:355–360

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Karazincir S, Balci A, Görür S, Sumbas H, Kiper AN (2007) Incidence of the retroaortic left renal vein in patients with varicocele. J Ultrasound Med 26:601–604

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Kaufman JA, Waltman AC, Rivitz SM, Geller SG (1995) Anatomical observations on the renal veins and inferior vena cava at magnetic resonance angiography. Cardiovasc Interv Radiol 18:153–157

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Kim WS, Cheon JE, Kim IO et al (2006) Hemodynamic investigation of the left renal vein in pediatric varicocele: Doppler US, venography, and pressure measurements. Radiology 241:228–234

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Kinard RE, Orrison WW (1986) Ultrasound demonstration of the retroaortic left renal vein. J Clin Ultrasound 14:151–152

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Koizumi J, Horie T, Muro I et al (2007) Magnetic resonance venography of the lower limb. Int Angiol 26:171–182

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Kramer U, Thiel C, Seeger A et al (2007) Preoperative evaluation of potential living related kidney donors with high-spatial-resolution magnetic resonance (MR) angiography at 3 Tesla: comparison with intraoperative findings. Invest Radiol 42:747–755

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Kraus GJ, Goerzer HG (2003) MR angiographic diagnosis of an aberrant retroaortic left renal vein and review of literature. Clin Imaging 27:132–134

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Nam JK, Park SW, Lee SD, Chung MK (2010) The clinical significance of a retroaortic left renal vein. Korean J Urol 51:276–280

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Nasu K, Kuroki Y, Kuroki S, Murakami K, Nawano S, Moriyama N (2004) Optimization of Gd-DTPA-enhanced balanced turbo field echo sequence in abdominal imaging: a basic study. Magn Reson Med Sci 3:65–72

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Ranger MR, Irwin GJ, Bunbury KM, Peutrell JM (2008) Changing body position alters the location of the spinal cord within the vertebral canal: a magnetic resonance imaging study. Br J Anaesth 101:804–809

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Roditi GH, Buff BL, Longmaid HE (1996) MR venography of left renal vein anomalies. Clin Radiol 51:861–864

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Sadler TW (2000) Cardiovascular system. In: Langman’s medical embryology, 8th edn. Lippincott Williams and Wilkins, New York, p 264

  19. Satyapal KS, Kalideen JM, Haffejee AA, Singh B, Robbs YV (1999) Left renal vein variations. Surg Radiol Anat 21:77–81

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Thomas TV (1970) Surgical implications of retroaortic left renal vein. Arch Surg 100:738–740

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Wang DS, Stolpen AH, Bird VG, Ishigami K, Rayhill SC, Winfield HN (2005) Correlation of preoperative three-dimensional magnetic resonance angiography with intraoperative findings in laparoscopic renal surgery. J Endourol 19:193–199

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Yagci B, Tavasli B, Karabulut N, Kiroglu Y (2008) Clinical significance and renal haemodynamics of incidentally detected retroaortic left renal vein: assessment with venous Doppler sonography. Br J Radiol 81:187–191

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Yesildag A, Adanır E, Koroglu M, Baykal B, Uyar O, Gulsoy UK (2004) Incidence of left renal vein anomalies in routine abdominal CT scans. Tani Girisim Radyol 10:140–143

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We thank Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Tatlıdil for statistical analysis.

Conflict of interest

The authors declared no conflicts of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, Dıskapı Yıldırım Beyazıt Training and Research Hospital, Irfan Bastug Caddesi, Diskapi, Altındağ, O6110, Ankara, Turkey

    Alper Dilli, Idil Gunes Tatar & Baki Hekimoglu

  2. Department of Radiology, Mersin Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Mersin, Turkey

    Umit Yasar Ayaz

  3. Department of Urology, Dıskapı Yıldırım Beyazıt Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey

    Osman Raif Karabacak

Authors
  1. Alper Dilli
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Umit Yasar Ayaz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Osman Raif Karabacak
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Idil Gunes Tatar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Baki Hekimoglu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Alper Dilli.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Dilli, A., Ayaz, U.Y., Karabacak, O.R. et al. Study of the left renal variations by means of magnetic resonance imaging. Surg Radiol Anat 34, 267–270 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-011-0833-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-011-0833-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation