Radiological Anatomy of the Right Adrenal Vein: Preliminary Experience with Multi-detector Row Computed Tomography

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of our study was to determine how frequently the right adrenal vein could be unequivocally identified on MDCT and what spectrum of anatomic variations was seen among the right adrenal vein. MATERIALS AND METHODS. Post-contrast MDCT were obtained using an 8-detector row helical CT scanner in 104 patients with thoracoabdominal vascular disease. Both axial and multiplanar images were reviewed by two radiologists. The following points regarding the right adrenal vein were evaluated: the degree of visualization; the relationship to accessory hepatic or other veins; the anatomy including the location of the orifice in relation to the surrounding structures, direction from the inferior vena cava, and length and diameter. RESULTS. The right adrenal vein was detected in 79 (76%) of 104 patients. The right adrenal vein formed a common trunk with an accessory hepatic vein in 6 (8%) of the 79 patients. The orifice was craniocaudally located between the level of vertebrae T11 and L1. Among the 73 patients, the right adrenal vein joined the inferior vena cava in the right posterior quadrant in 71 (97%) and in the left posterior quadrant in 2 patients (3%). The transverse direction from the inferior vena cava was posterior and rightward in 56 (77%) and posterior and leftward in 17 (23%), and the vertical direction from the inferior vena cava was caudal in 65 (89%) and cranial in 8 patients (11%). The length and diameter averaged 3.8 and 1.7 mm, respectively. CONCLUSION. MDCT enabled the identification of the right adrenal vein and delineation of its anatomy, including the position and relationship to surrounding structures.