The normal growth of the common iliac arteries in human fetuses – an anatomical, digital and statistical study

Abstract

SummaryBackgroundThe present study was carried out to compile normative data for dimensions of the common iliac arteries at varying gestational ages.Material/MethodsWe used anatomical dissection, digital-image analysis (system of Leica QWin Pro 16) and statistical analysis (Student T test, one-way ANOVA, post-hoc RIR Tukey test, and regression analysis) to examine the increase in length (mm), proximal external diameter (mm), and volume (mm3) of the common iliac arteries in 124 (60 males, 64 females) spontaneously aborted human fetuses aged 15–34 weeks.ResultsNeither sex nor right-left significant differences were found (P>0.05). The length ranged from 4.76±1.05 to 15.38±1.60 mm on the right, and from 4.92±1.33 to 14.91±1.25 mm on the left, according to the linear functions y=−3.598+0.585×Age ±1.522 (R2=0.83) and y=−3.107+0.554×Age ±1.444 (R2=0.83). The proximal external diameter increased from 0.66±0.19 to 2.30±0.42 mm on the right, and from 0.66±0.14 to 2.16±0.42 mm on the left, according to the quadratic models y=1.392−0.110×Age+0.004×Age2 ±0.285 (R2=0.77) and y=1.283−0.099×Age+0.004×Age2 ±0.238 (R2=0.81). The volumes were increasing from 1.93±1.74 to 66.95±29.31 mm3 on the right, and from 1.91±1.65 to 56.86±25.17 mm3 on the left, given by the quadratic functions: y=99.69−10.60×Age+0.287×Age2 ±14.40 (R2=0.67) and y=82.62−8.86×Age+0.242×Age2 ±11.60 (R2=0.71).ConclusionsThe common iliac arteries grow linearly in length, and parabolically in both diameter and volume. The right common iliac artery constitutes a predominant vessel in relation to its length, external diameter and volume. The morphometric data on the common iliac arteries may serve as a useful reference in the prenatal diagnosis and monitoring of congenital aorto-iliac abnormalities.

The normal growth of cross-sectional areas of the aorto-iliac segment in human fetuses – an anatomical, digital, and statistical study

“…In agreement with the medical literature concerning external dimensions of the abdominal aorta [8,15,16], common [15–17], external and internal [16,18,19] iliac arteries in fetuses and children [22,23], in the material under examination no sex differences for the CSAs of the aorto-iliac segment were found. In adolescents and adults, however, dimensions of the aorto-iliac segment were greater in males than females of the same age [24–28].…”

“…Our results concerning the external dimensions (length, external diameter, volume) of the fetal aorto-iliac segment have recently been published [8,17–19]. The present paper is the first in the professional literature to highlight and accentuate the internal (luminal) CSAs of the growing aorto-iliac segment in human fetuses.…”

“…Thirdly, a valid objective software package (Leica QWin Pro 16, Cambridge) was used for measuring luminal CSAs. Fourthly, tissue shrinkage related to formalin fixation had little (0.5–1.0%) influence on the CSAs of the aorto-iliac segment filled with latex [8,15,17–19]. Finally, the CSAs measured could be considered as precise and clearly-definable.…”

“…In the clinical and echographic settings, the intraluminal size of the aorto-iliac segment is much more relevant than its external dimensions [8,15–19]. To date, however, the existing data in the medical literature has precisely focused only on the length [8,15,16], external diameter [8,15–19], and volume [8,15,17] of the aorto-iliac segment, with no information about its luminal dimensions.…”

“…To date, however, the existing data in the medical literature has precisely focused only on the length [8,15,16], external diameter [8,15–19], and volume [8,15,17] of the aorto-iliac segment, with no information about its luminal dimensions. The quantitative knowledge of the aorto-iliac CSAs is critical for determining the outflow-to-inflow area ratios when studying the local hemodynamics [20].…”