Anatomical Variations of the Anterior Branches of the Abdominal Aorta in Humans-Possible Similarities With Other Mammals

Anatomical variations of the celiac trunk (CT), superior mesenteric artery (SMA) and inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) have significant clinical relevance, particularly in abdominal surgery and interventional radiology. In this study, a cross-sectional analysis was performed on 60 contrast-enhanced CT angiography scans of the abdominal aorta in adult patients. The evaluation included the vertebral level of origin, branching patterns, and arterial diameters of the CT, SMA, and IMA, with variations classified according to established anatomical classifications and analyzed using descriptive statistical methods. The results demonstrated that typical branching anatomy was present in 95% of cases, while anatomical variations were identified in 5% of patients. The celiac trunk most commonly originated at the level of the T12–L1 intervertebral disc (91.70%). The classical trifurcation (Uflacker Type I) was observed in 95% of cases. The SMA showed an independent origin in 98.33% of patients, whereas the IMA originated independently in all examined cases. The mean arterial diameters were 6.94±1.18 mm for the CT, 6.56±1.11 mm for the SMA, and 2.73±0.52 mm for the IMA. Although classical vascular anatomy predominates, the presence of clinically relevant variations highlights the importance of their preoperative identification. High-resolution 128-slice MDCT angiography proves to be a reliable modality for accurate vascular mapping and effective surgical planning.