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Azygos continuation of the inferior vena cava

Case contributed by Frank Gaillard
Diagnosis certain

Presentation

Incidental finding on CT of the chest performed when the patient was admitted to the ED for a motor vehicle accident.

Patient Data

Age: 50 years
Gender: Female

CTA of the chest

ct

CTA demonstrates absence of the IVC with the liver draining directly into the right atrium. The azygos vein is very large, similar in caliber to the aorta and runs to the right of the later, to drain via the azygos arch into the right atrium, enlarging the mediastinal outline. Note the regurgitation of contrast into the arch.

Case Discussion

This is a typical example of azygos continuation of the IVC. As is the case in most patients, this seems to be an isolated abnormality.  

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