Retroaortic left renal vein
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
Citation:
Weerakkody Y, Niknejad M, Shah V, et al. Retroaortic left renal vein. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 21 Mar 2025) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-17491
rID:
17491
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Disclosures:
At the time the article was created Yuranga Weerakkody had no recorded disclosures.
View Yuranga Weerakkody's current disclosures
Last revised:
Disclosures:
At the time the article was last revised Mohammad Taghi Niknejad had no financial relationships to ineligible companies to disclose.
View Mohammad Taghi Niknejad's current disclosures
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Synonyms:
- Retroaortic left renal vein
- Retro aortic left renal vein (RLRV)
- Retro-aortic left renal vein (RLRV)
- Retro aortic left renal vein
- Retroaortic left renal vein (RLRV)
Retroaortic left renal vein (RLRV) is a normal anatomical variant where the left renal vein is located between the aorta and the vertebra and drains into the inferior vena cava.
Its recognition is important to avoid complications during retroperitoneal surgery or interventional procedures 2.
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Epidemiology
Retroaortic left renal vein has an estimated prevalence of ~2% 3.
Clinical presentation
Urological symptoms can be caused by increased pressure in the renal vein, which can result in venous hypertension. This is an atypical form of nutcracker syndrome. Patients can present with hematuria and recurrent left flank pain.
Types
The retroaortic position of the left renal vein has four subtypes 4:
RLRV joining the IVC in the normal position
RLRV joining the IVC at the level of L4–5
circumaortic or collar LRV, having two limbs, one crossing anterior and one behind the aorta
RLRV drains into the left common iliac vein
References
- 1. Nam JK, Park SW, Lee SD et-al. The clinical significance of a retroaortic left renal vein. Korean J Urol. 2010;51 (4): 276-80. doi:10.4111/kju.2010.51.4.276 - Free text at pubmed - Pubmed citation
- 2. Karaman B, Koplay M, Ozturk E et-al. Retroaortic left renal vein: multidetector computed tomography angiography findings and its clinical importance. Acta Radiol. 2007;48 (3): 355-60. doi:10.1080/02841850701244755 - Pubmed citation
- 3. Bass JE, Redwine MD, Kramer LA et-al. Spectrum of congenital anomalies of the inferior vena cava: cross-sectional imaging findings. Radiographics. 20 (3): 639-52. Radiographics (full text) - Pubmed citation
- 4. Anjamrooz SH, Azari H, Abedinzadeh M. Abnormal patterns of the renal veins. (2012) Anatomy & cell biology. 45 (1): 57-61. doi:10.5115/acb.2012.45.1.57 - Pubmed
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Articles:
- Renal vein varices
- Retroaortic left renal vein
- Posterior nutcracker syndrome
- Circumaortic left renal vein
- Caval variants
- Duplication of the inferior vena cava
- Nutcracker syndrome
- Reporting tips for aortic aneurysms
- Pelvic congestion syndrome
- Developmental anomalies of the kidney and ureter
- Renal vein anomalies
- Double retroaortic left renal vein
Cases:
- Beaver tail liver
- Retroaortic left renal vein - type 4
- Circumcaval ureter
- Circumaortic left renal vein
- Papillary renal cell carcinoma
- Castleman disease
- Calyceal diverticulum
- Giant hepatic hemangioma
- Retroaortic left renal vein - type II
- Retroaortic left renal vein - type I
- Type IV left renal vein
- Undifferentiated carcinoma of the pancreas
- Traumatic renal injury - AAST grade IV injury
- Circumaortic left renal vein
- Multitrauma
- Colonic diverticulitis progress to diverticular abscess
- Hydronephrosis due to ureteric calculus
- Superior mesenteric artery syndrome
- Petersen hernia
- Retroaortic left renal vein
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