LAUSR

Objective: To determine the distribution characteristics of the right adrenal vein orifices to improve the success rate of right adrenal vein catheterization in adrenal vein sampling (AVS). Design and method: 575 patients with confirmed diagnosis of primary aldosteronism and undertook successful AVS in the Hypertension Center of People's Hospital of Xinjiang, China between January 2006 and October 2013 were consecutively enrolled. A SIM-ADS V4.2 medical imaging workstation was used to determine the location of the right adrenal vein orifices. The distribution characteristics of the right adrenal vein orifices were analyzed according to the markers in the spine. Results: 1) the orifice of the right adrenal vein was located ranging from the middle edge of Th10 to the middle edge of Th12 in 457 patients (79.5%). Only 3.5% orifices were found between the upper edge of L1 to the middle edge of L1. 2) Distributions of the right adrenal vein orifices were significantly different based on gender, height, weight, BMI, and abdominal circumference, while the age did not show significantly different in groups. Conclusions: The middle edge of Th10 to the middle edge of Th12 should be main target area for successful right adrenal vein catheterization when performing AVS.