Veins of Retzius at CT during arterial portography: anatomy and clinical importance.

PURPOSE

To classify the veins of Retzius demonstrated at computed tomography (CT) during arterial portography (CTAP) on the basis of anatomic location and to evaluate the relationship between the frequency of CT visualization and associated disease.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The authors reviewed axial CTAP scans from 130 patients. Patients were classified into one of two groups: patients with liver cirrhosis (group 1 [n = 81]) and patients without liver cirrhosis (group 2 [n = 49]).

RESULTS

The pathways of the veins of Retzius were classified as follows: (a) The ileocolic vein drained into the inferior vena cava (IVC) or the right renal vein through the right gonadal vein (n = 61); (b) the pancreaticoduodenal vein drained into the IVC (n = 8); (c) the proximal branches of the superior mesenteric vein drained into the left gonadal vein (n = 6); and (d) the ileocolic vein drained directly into the IVC (n = 5). The veins of Retzius were demonstrated in 41 (51%) of the 81 patients in group 1 and 26 (53%) of the 49 patients in group 2. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups.

CONCLUSION

The veins of Retzius were demonstrated at CTAP in approximately 50% of patients with and 50% of patients without liver cirrhosis.