Colorectal Cancer
Copyright ©2006 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Jan 28, 2006; 12(4): 553-555
Published online Jan 28, 2006. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v12.i4.553
Preoperative assessment of vascular anatomy of inferior mesenteric artery by volume-rendered 3D-CT for laparoscopic lymph node dissection with left colic artery preservation in lower sigmoid and rectal cancer
Michiya Kobayashi, Satoshi Morishita, Takehiro Okabayashi, Kana Miyatake, Ken Okamoto, Tsutomu Namikawa, Yasuhiro Ogawa, Keijiro Araki
Michiya Kobayashi, Takehiro Okabayashi, Ken Okamoto, Tsutomu Namikawa, Keijiro Araki, Department of Tumor Surgery, Kochi Medical School, Nankoku, Japan
Satoshi Morishita, Kana Miyatake, Yasuhiro Ogawa, Department of Tumor Radiology, Kochi Medical School, Nankoku, Japan
Supported by Kobayashi Magobe Memorial Medical Foundation
Correspondence to: Michiya Kobayashi, Department of Tumor Surgery, Kochi Medical School, Oko-cho, Nankoku 783-8505, Japan. kobayasm@kochi-ms.ac.jp
Telephone: +81-888-80-2370 Fax: +81-888-80-2371
Received: July 19, 2005
Revised: July 19, 2005
Accepted: August 26, 2005
Published online: January 28, 2006
Abstract

AIM: To determine the distance between the branching point of the left colic artery (LCA) and the inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) by computed tomography (CT) scanning, for preoperative evaluation before laparoscopic colorectal operation.

METHODS: From February 2004 to May 2005, 100 patients (63 men, 37 women) underwent angiography performed with a 16-scanner multi-detector row CT unit (Toshiba, Aquilion 16). All images were analyzed on a workstation (AZE Ltd, Virtual Place Advance 300). The distance from the root of the IMA to the bifurcation of the LCA was measured by curved multi-planar reconstruction on a workstation.

RESULTS: The IMA could be visualized in all the cases, but the LCA was missing in two patients. The mean distance from the root of the IMA to the root of the LCA was 42.0 mm (range, 23.2-75.0 mm). There were no differences in gender, arterial branching types, body weight, height, and body mass index.

CONCLUSION: Volume-rendered 3D-CT is helpful to assess the vascular branching anatomy for laparoscopic surgery.

Keywords: Laparoscopy-assisted colorectal surgery, Multi-detector row CT angiography, 3D-CT, Inferior mesenteric artery, Lymph node dissection