A morphological study of the inferior phrenic arteries on multidetector computed tomography and angiography

Roman Pavlov; Miroslav Belbl; Jan Křeček; Daniel Palouš; Theodor Adla; David Kachlík; Adam Whitley

doi:10.1016/j.aanat.2024.152258

A morphological study of the inferior phrenic arteries on multidetector computed tomography and angiography

Ann Anat. 2024 Mar 13:254:152258. doi: 10.1016/j.aanat.2024.152258. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Roman Pavlov¹, Miroslav Belbl¹, Jan Křeček², Daniel Palouš³, Theodor Adla⁴, David Kachlík⁵, Adam Whitley⁶

Affiliations

¹ Department of Anatomy, Second Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, V Úvalu 84, Praha 5 150 06, Czech Republic; Center for Endoscopic, Surgical and Clinical Anatomy (CESKA), Second Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, V Úvalu 84, Praha 5 150 06, Czech Republic.
² Center for Endoscopic, Surgical and Clinical Anatomy (CESKA), Second Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, V Úvalu 84, Praha 5 150 06, Czech Republic; Cardiocenter, Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Ruská 87, Praha 10 100 00, Czech Republic.
³ Department of Radiodiagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Institute for Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Vídeňská 1958, Praha 4 140 21, Czech Republic.
⁴ Center for Endoscopic, Surgical and Clinical Anatomy (CESKA), Second Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, V Úvalu 84, Praha 5 150 06, Czech Republic; Department of Radiodiagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Institute for Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Vídeňská 1958, Praha 4 140 21, Czech Republic.
⁵ Department of Anatomy, Second Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, V Úvalu 84, Praha 5 150 06, Czech Republic; Center for Endoscopic, Surgical and Clinical Anatomy (CESKA), Second Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, V Úvalu 84, Praha 5 150 06, Czech Republic. Electronic address: david.kachlik@lfmotol.cuni.cz.
⁶ Department of Anatomy, Second Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, V Úvalu 84, Praha 5 150 06, Czech Republic; Center for Endoscopic, Surgical and Clinical Anatomy (CESKA), Second Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, V Úvalu 84, Praha 5 150 06, Czech Republic; Department of General Surgery, Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and University Hospital Královské Vinohrady, Šrobárova 50, Praha 10 100 00, Czech Republic.

PMID: 38490465
DOI: 10.1016/j.aanat.2024.152258

Abstract

Introduction: The inferior phrenic artery is a paired artery with a variable origin and course, primarily supplying the diaphragm, but also the suprarenal glands, inferior vena cava, stomach, and oesophagus. The aim of this study is to investigate the origin and course of the inferior phrenic arteries on multidetector computed tomography and angiography.

Materials and methods: The anatomy of the inferior phrenic artery was analysed on 2449 multidetector computed tomography scans. Three-dimensional reconstructions were made of the main variations. Additionally, the course and branching pattern of the inferior phrenic artery were descriptively analysed in a cohort of 28 angiograms.

Results: In 565 (23.1%) cases the inferior phrenic arteries arose as a common trunk and in 1884 (76.9%) cases as individual vessels. The most common origins of a common trunk were the coeliac trunk (n=303; 53.6%) and abdominal aorta (n=255; 45.1%). The most common origins of the right inferior phrenic artery were the coeliac trunk (n=965; 51.2%), abdominal aorta (n=562; 29.8%) and renal arteries (n=214; 11.4%). The most common origins of the left inferior phrenic artery were the coeliac trunk (n=1293; 68.6%) and abdominal aorta (n=403; 21.4%).

Conclusion: The inferior phrenic artery has a very variable anatomy. The most common origins of the inferior phrenic artery are the coeliac trunk and its branches, the abdominal aorta, and the renal arteries.

Keywords: Anatomy; Angiography; Chemoembolization; Inferior phrenic artery; Multidetector computed tomography; Variation.