Abstract:Objective This study aimed to investigate the influence of injection site and delayed scanning time on azygos arch valve display in CT scanning. Methods A retrospective study was conducted, and the imaging data of 562 patients who underwent CT examination from November 2021 to February 2022 in Dezhou Hospital, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University were included. Of these patients, 276 [165 males and 111 females aged 10 to 84 (62.3±10.9)] were examined through CT angingraphy (CTA) of head and neck (18 cases were injected with a contrast agent in the left elbow, and 258 cases were injected into the right elbow). The other 286 underwent chest enhancement examination [179 males and 107 females aged 11 to 85 (61.7±11.3)] and were injected with the same contrast agent in their right elbows. Observation is items: (1) difference in the display rate of the azygos arch valve before and after the contrast agent is injected into different parts (left and right elbows); (2) difference in the display rate of the azygos arch valve between the arterial phase (short delay scanning time) and venous phase (long delay scanning time) in patients with chest enhancement; (3) shapes of the azygos arch valves were observed. Results (1) One (1/18) of the 18 patients injected with the contrast agent into the left elbow showed an azygos arch valve; 245 (45.04%, 245/544) of 544 patients injected with the contrast agent into the right elbow showed azygos arch valves, which was significantly higher than that with left elbow injection (χ2=9.49, P=0.002). (2) In the chest enhancement examinations, the display rate of the azygos arch valve with short delay scanning time was 28.32% (81/286), which was higher than that with long delay scanning time (2.10%, 6/286), and the difference was statistically significant (χ2=75.00, P<0.001). (3) Of the 562 patients, 246 cases showed azygos arch valves (224 had bilobal valves and 22 had trilobal valves). In the patients with bilobal valves, the arrangement direction of the bilobal valves was vertical azygos arch in 188 cases and vertical azygos arch in 36 cases. Conclusion In CT examination, the injection of the contrast agent into the right elbow and short delayed scanning time increase the display rates of the azygos arch valves. Bilobal and trilobal azygos arch valves are observed. Bilobal valves are more common, and the two leaflets of each valve are arranged in the left and right vertical azygos vein arches.
于丽娜, 李子浩, 解丙坤, 张红伟. CT检查中对比剂注射部位及延迟扫描时间不同对奇静脉弓瓣显示的影响[J]. 中华解剖与临床杂志, 2022, 27(10): 669-673.
Yu Lina, Li Zihao, Xie Bingkun, Zhang Hongwei. Effects of different injection sites of contrast agent and delayed scanning time on azygos arch valve display in CT scan. Chinese Journal of Anatomy and Clinics, 2022, 27(10): 669-673.
Steinke K, Moghaddam A.Azygos arch valves at computed tomography angiography and pitfalls related to its variety in appearance and function[J]. J Comput Assist Tomogr, 2009, 33(5): 721-724. DOI: 10.1097/RCT.0b013e31819679ae.
[2]
Yeh BM, Coakley FV, Sanchez HC, et al.Azygos arch valves: prevalence and appearance at contrast-enhanced CT[J]. Radiology, 2004,230(1):111-115. DOI: 10.1148/radiol.2301021216.
[3]
Rivaud Y, Maldjian PD.The azygos vein from A to Z[J]. J Thorac Imaging, 2019,34(5):W100-W108. DOI: 10.1097/RTI.0000000000000420.
[4]
Morita S, Suzuki K, Masukawa A, et al.Identification of efferent flow in the superior vena cava and azygos vein confluence using cine phase-contrast MRI: speculation of the role of the azygos arch valves[J]. Magn Reson Imaging, 2010,28(9):1306-1310. DOI: 10.1016/j.mri.2010.06.005.
[5]
Ichikawa T, Endo J, Koizumi J, et al.Visualization of the azygos arch valves on multidetector-row computed tomography[J]. Heart Vessels, 2008,23(2):118-123. DOI: 10.1007/s00380-007-1009-6.
[6]
Restrepo CS, Lemos DF, Lemos JA, et al.Imaging findings in cardiac tamponade with emphasis on CT[J]. Radiographics, 2007, 27(6): 1595-1610. DOI: 10.1148/rg.276065002.
[7]
Steinke K, Moghaddam A.Azygos arch valves at computed tomography angiography and pitfalls related to its variety in appearance and function[J]. J Comput Assist Tomogr, 2009,33(5):721-724. DOI: 10.1097/RCT.0b013e31819679ae.
[8]
杨正广, 周艳玲, 郑同同, 等. MSCT对正常成人奇静脉的定量研究[J].河北医药,2021,43(24):3801-3803. DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1002-7386.2021.24.032.Yang ZG, Zhou YL, Zheng TT, et al.Quantitative measurement of azygos vein by MSCT in healthy people[J].Hebei Medical Journal,2021,43(24):3801-3803. DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1002-7386.2021.24.032.
[9]
董俊秀, 柯栋, 胡良柱, 等. 基于CT评估解剖压迫性左头臂静脉狭窄的解剖学因素及临床意义[J].中华解剖与临床杂志,2021,26(6):616-622. DOI: 10.3760/cma.j.cn101202-20200804-00254.Dong JX, Ke D, Hu LZ, et al.The anatomic factors and the clinical significance of left innominate vein stenosis due to anatomic compression on CT[J].Chin J Anat Clin,2021,26(6):616-622. DOI: 10.3760/cma.j.cn101202-20200804-00254.
[10]
Ng WH, Chan YL, Sung JY, et al.Comparison of breath-hold 2D phase-contrast with non breath-hold cine phase-contrast MRA in the assessment of azygos venous blood flow in portal hypertension[J]. MAGMA, 2004,16(5):211-217. DOI: 10.1007/s10334-003-0026-4.