Collateral venous pathways in the transverse mesocolon and greater omentum in patients with pancreatic disease.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to describe the radiologic findings of the collateral venous pathways in the transverse mesocolon and the greater omentum associated with pancreatic diseases and to correlate these venous pathways and the accompanying arterial anatomy. The collateral pathway in the transverse mesocolon consists of the inferior mesenteric vein, left transverse colic vein, marginal vein of the transverse colon, and middle colic vein. The pathway in the greater omentum consists of anastomosis of the left and right epiploic veins deriving from the gastroepiploic vein. The former pathway is the vena comitans of Riolan's arch and the latter is the vena comitans of the arch of Barkow.