Search

Duplication of the ureters is a common anomaly and is frequently encountered by radiologists. Duplication may be either complete or incomplete and is often accompanied by various complications. Incomplete duplication is most often associated with ureteroureteral reflux or ureteropelvic junction obstruction of the lower pole of the kidney. Complete duplication is most often associated with vesicoureteral reflux, ectopic ureterocele, or ectopic ureteral insertion, all of which are more common in girls than in boys. Vesicoureteral reflux affects the lower pole

We evaluated the termination of the abdominal aorta in relation with the vertebral column in 142 cases, finding it between middle 1/3 of the L3 vertebra and L5-S1 intervertebral disc. At the level of the L4 vertebra the abdominal aorta ends in 71 of the cases, following, in the order of the frequency, the L4-L5 intervertebral disk with 40 cases, the L5 vertebra with 14 cases, the L3-L4 intervertebral disc with 10 cases, the L3 vertebra with 6 cases and only in one case at the L5-S1 intervertebral disc. The aortic termination above the L4 vertebra was considered a high termination, 11.27% of cases, and the origin below the L4-L5 intervertebral disc was considered a low termination, 10.56% of cases. The bifurcation of the aorta in relation to mid-vertebral line was assessed on 138 cases, with 79 cases on the left, 38 on the midline and in 21 cases the aortic bifurcation was right to the midline. The distance between the aortic bifurcation and the sacro-vertebral joint (promontory) was between 40 - 82 mm. The aortic bifurcation related to the origin of the inferior vena cava was assessed on 38 cases, finding that most frequently, in 27 cases, the bifurcation was above the level of origin of the inferior vena cava, with a distance of between 2 - 3 mm and up to 45 mm. In 7 cases it was located below the origin of the inferior vena cava and in 4 cases the aortic bifurcation was located at the same level with the origin of the inferior vena cava.

The morphological characteristics at the level of the bifurcation of the common carotid artery were studied on 46 cases, finding that the most frequent, in 52.17% of cases, the common carotid bifurcation appear as the letter “V”, with two possible variations: a wide “V”, in 43.48% of cases and narrow “V” in 8.7% of cases. In 30.43% of cases, the two carotids showed an ascending traject, united for 1-2 cm up to their crossing; in 13,04% of the cases the two arteries were superimposed, the external located anteriorly. In only in two cases on the right side (4.35% of cases and 8.33% of right samples) we found a peculiar aspect of a “U” shaped bifurcation. Regarding the caliber of the external carotid artery, we found that in 43.33% of the cases the external carotid artery had a similar diameter to the internal carotid, also in 43.33% of the external carotid artery have a higher caliber than internal one and the remaining 13.33% of the cases, the external carotid artery had a smaller diameter than the internal one, with all cases on the left (16.67% of left carotid arteries). The caliber of the right external carotid artery was between 4 to 5.6 mm and the one of the left was between 3.6 to 5 mm. When the external carotid was more voluminous than the internal, the differences were 0.5 to 1.2 mm and when the internal carotid was more voluminous than the external, the differences were smaller, 0.2 to 0.8 mm. In relation to the common carotid, the external carotid had a smaller caliber from 0.6 to 1.1 mm. Regarding the external carotid traject, most commonly, from the bifurcation of the common carotid, the external carotid artery showed a vertical trajectory, in 50% of cases; in 40% of cases, the traject was oblique superomedially and in 6.67% of cases the external carotid artery described a curve with the convexity facing laterally, with all cases on the right (11.76% of right carotid arteries); in 3.33% of cases, both on the left (7.69% of the left carotid arteries), the external carotid artery traject described an inverted italic “S”