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Congenital venous anomalies associated with retrocaval ureter: evaluation using computed tomography
Affiliations- Department of Radiology, Tokai University School of Medicine, Isehara-si, Japan
- Department of Radiology, Ebina General Hospital, Ebina, Japan
- Department of Radiology, Hirastuka City Hospital, Kanagawa, Japan
- Department of Radiology, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
- Department of Radiology, Fujisawa City Hospital, Kanagawa, Japan
- Department of Radiology, Tokai University Hachioji Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Anatomy, Tokai University School of Medicine, Kanagawa, Japan
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Abstract
Background: Retrocaval ureter is a rare congenital anomaly resulting from
anomalous development of inferior vena cava (IVC) and not from anomalous of
the ureter. The anomaly always occurs on the right side due to regression of right
supracardinal vein and persistence of right posterior cardinal vein. Retrocaval
ureter tends to be associated with various vena cava anomalies because of the
embryogenesis. We aimed to identify the prevalence of associated congenital
venous anomalies (CVA) resulting from cardinal vein development in adults with
retrocaval ureter using computed tomography (CT) images.
Materials and methods: The study included 22 adults with retrocaval ureter. We
evaluated CT findings and determined the incidence of associated CVA using thin
slice data sets from CT scanner with 64 or more detectors. We compared the
prevalence of CVA in the retrocaval ureter group (mean age: 57 ± 19 years) and
in the control group of 6189 adults with normal ureter (mean age: 66 ± 14 years).
Results: In the retrocaval ureter group, 4 (18.2%) adults had CVA including double
IVC, right double IVC, preisthmic IVC with horseshoe kidney, and preaortic
iliac confluence. One of 2 adults with preaortic iliac confluence had right double
right IVC. In the control group, 49 (0.79%) adults had CVA including 37 double
IVC, 11 left IVC, and 1 IVC interruption azygos continuation. Fifteen horseshow
kidneys were found. The prevalence of associated CVA in the retrocaval ureter
group was higher than that in the control group (p < 0.001).
Conclusions: Retrocaval ureter is frequently associated with CVA. Various CVA
with retrocaval ureter could happen because of abnormal development of not
only the right posterior or supra cardinal vein but also other cardinal veins.
Abstract
Background: Retrocaval ureter is a rare congenital anomaly resulting from
anomalous development of inferior vena cava (IVC) and not from anomalous of
the ureter. The anomaly always occurs on the right side due to regression of right
supracardinal vein and persistence of right posterior cardinal vein. Retrocaval
ureter tends to be associated with various vena cava anomalies because of the
embryogenesis. We aimed to identify the prevalence of associated congenital
venous anomalies (CVA) resulting from cardinal vein development in adults with
retrocaval ureter using computed tomography (CT) images.
Materials and methods: The study included 22 adults with retrocaval ureter. We
evaluated CT findings and determined the incidence of associated CVA using thin
slice data sets from CT scanner with 64 or more detectors. We compared the
prevalence of CVA in the retrocaval ureter group (mean age: 57 ± 19 years) and
in the control group of 6189 adults with normal ureter (mean age: 66 ± 14 years).
Results: In the retrocaval ureter group, 4 (18.2%) adults had CVA including double
IVC, right double IVC, preisthmic IVC with horseshoe kidney, and preaortic
iliac confluence. One of 2 adults with preaortic iliac confluence had right double
right IVC. In the control group, 49 (0.79%) adults had CVA including 37 double
IVC, 11 left IVC, and 1 IVC interruption azygos continuation. Fifteen horseshow
kidneys were found. The prevalence of associated CVA in the retrocaval ureter
group was higher than that in the control group (p < 0.001).
Conclusions: Retrocaval ureter is frequently associated with CVA. Various CVA
with retrocaval ureter could happen because of abnormal development of not
only the right posterior or supra cardinal vein but also other cardinal veins.
Keywords
retrocaval ureter, vena cava, congenital venous anomaly
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About this articleTitle
Congenital venous anomalies associated with retrocaval ureter: evaluation using computed tomography
Journal
Issue
Article type
Original article
Pages
300-306
Published online
2022-04-05
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2226
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771
DOI
Pubmed
Bibliographic record
Folia Morphol 2023;82(2):300-306.
Keywords
retrocaval ureter
vena cava
congenital venous anomaly
Authors
T. Ichikawa
S. Ono
Y. Nagafuji
M. Kobayashi
H. Yashiro
J. Koizumi
F. Uchiyama
Y. Fujii
T. Hasebe
H. Terayama
J. Hashimoto
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