Presentation
Incidental findings in a patient recently diagnosed with right breast cancer, for CT staging.
Patient Data
Age: 45 years
Gender: Female
From the case:
Accessory renal arteries and bovine arch
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There are two arteries to each kidney, and one vein to each kidney. Conventional ureteric anatomy. There is also a bovine arch.
Case Discussion
This case illustrates anatomical variation of the renal artery anatomy. The right kidney has, besides the main renal artery, a lower polar artery.
The left kidney has two about equal-sized renal arteries (upper and lower).
It is important to bear in mind that accessory renal arteries may also rarely arise from other arteries rather the aorta, such as the
- superior or inferior mesenteric artery
- celiac artery
- middle colic artery
- lumbar arteries
- gonadal arteries
- iliac arteries
- middle sacral arteries
- rarely from the contralateral renal artery
There is also a common origin of brachiocephalic trunk and left common carotid artery: this is called a bovine arch.