Renal artery piercing the diaphragmatic crus

Abstract

The anatomical variations of renal artery related with number, branching pattern and origin level have been well described. The variations regarding the course of the artery are limited and mainly related with its relation of vena cava inferior. However, diaphragmatic crus is also on the pathway of renal artery and this relationship might also have variations. Different from its usual precrural position, there are a few cadaveric dissections reported as retrocrural or transcrural renal artery. This is the report of a rare variant of renal artery course, where it was crossing between the fibers of diaphragmatic crus detected on CT angiography.