Variations in the Origin and Branching Pattern of the Celiac Trunk Evaluated by Computed Tomography Angiography

International Journal of Anatomy and Physiology | Vol. 15, No. 9, September 2026 | pp. 10–18

DOI: 10.46882/2026/IJAP/001002

Research Article

Title: Variations in the Origin and Branching Pattern of the Celiac Trunk Evaluated by Computed Tomography Angiography

Names of Authors: L. K. Chen¹, S. M. Patel², R. E. Dubois³*

Authors’ Affiliations:
¹ Department of Anatomy, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
² Department of Radiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Sorbonne University, Paris, France.

Abstract:
Anatomical variations of the celiac trunk are frequent and clinically relevant for surgeons performing liver transplantations, gastrectomies, and transcatheter arterial chemoembolization. This study evaluated the variations in the origin, length, diameter, and branching patterns of the celiac trunk using computed tomography (CT) angiography. Contrast-enhanced abdominal CT scans of 400 adult patients (210 males, 190 females) were retrospectively reviewed. The classic trifurcation into the splenic, common hepatic, and left gastric arteries (Haller's triad) was observed in 86.5% of cases. Variations were recorded in 13.5% of the subjects. The most common variation was a hepatosplenic trunk (5.2%), where the left gastric artery arose directly from the abdominal aorta. A celiac-mesenteric trunk, where the celiac trunk and superior mesenteric artery shared a common origin, was found in 1.8% of cases. The mean length of the celiac trunk was 12.4 ± 3.2 mm, and the mean diameter was 6.8 ± 1.1 mm. Statistically significant differences in diameter were noted between males and females (p < 0.05). The celiac trunk originated at the level of the T12-L1 intervertebral disc in 78% of individuals. This study confirms that while the classic trifurcation remains dominant, significant vascular variations exist within the study population. Detailed preoperative CT angiography mapping is highly recommended to prevent inadvertent vascular ligation or hemorrhagic complications during upper abdominal surgeries.

Keywords: Celiac trunk, Hepatosplenic trunk, Computed tomography angiography, Vascular variation, Abdominal aorta.

Manuscript Timeline: Received: May 20, 2026; Revised: July 11, 2026; Accepted: August 11, 2026; Published: September 8, 2026.

Citation: Chen LK, Patel SM, Dubois RE. Variations in the Origin and Branching Pattern of the Celiac Trunk Evaluated by Computed Tomography Angiography. International Journal of Anatomy and Physiology. 2026; 15(9): 10–18. doi:10.46882/2026/IJAP/001002

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