Spatial relationship between intrahepatic artery and portal vein based on the fusion image of CT-arterial portography (CTAP) and CT-angiography (CTA): new classification for hepatic artery at hepatic hilum and the segmentation of right anterior section of the liver.

PURPOSE: To clarify the variations of the intrahepatic artery and portal vein and to verify the proper segmentation for the right anterior section of the liver.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: CT during arterial portography and CT angiography were performed on 64-slice multi detector row CT in 147 patients. All images were transferred to a workstation for analysis using multi-image-fusion mode. We investigated the spatial relationship between hepatic artery and portal vein in the right hemiliver and the segmentation of the right anterior hepatic artery and portal vein.
RESULTS: The spatial anatomy of right hepatic arteries and portal vein was (1) anterior and posterior hepatic artery run superior and inferior to anterior portal vein, respectively (47.6%), (2) one anterior hepatic artery runs superior to and another one runs inferior to anterior portal vein (15%), (3) anterior and posterior hepatic arteries run superior to anterior portal vein (11.6%), (4) anterior and posterior hepatic arteries run inferior to anterior portal vein (7.5%), and (5) one posterior hepatic artery runs superior to and another one runs inferior to anterior portal vein (6.8%). The combined anatomy of right anterior artery and portal vein with regard to segmentation was classified as (1) dorso-ventral (26.5%), (2) dorso-ventral and inferior (10.9%), (3) multiple (18.4%), and (4) superior and inferior segments (1.4%).
CONCLUSION: There are various types of spatial anatomy of intrahepatic artery and portal vein. The hepatic arteries as well as portal veins of right anterior section of the liver could be divided into dorsal and ventral, not superior and inferior.