Caudocranial Scanning to Evaluate Bilateral Ovarian Arteries Supplying a Uterine Leiomyoma

摘要

Uterine fibroid blood supply is complex and requires vascular mapping before embolization. The uterine artery travels medially in the pelvis at the base of the broad ligament to the outer surface of the uterus. From lateral to medial, it has a descending, transverse, and ascending portion. The ascending portion runs alongside the uterus and passes anteriorly to the ureter. The u-sluped uterine artery is situated at the level of the ischial spine where the ureter passes at the base of the cardinal ligament. The abdominal segment of the ureter receives blood from the abdominal aorta, renal artery, or ovarian artery. The vascular supply to uterine fibroid tumors originates primarily from the uterine arteries." When fibroid tumors are present, blood flow increases substantially because the perifibroid arteries are larger in diameter and are hypovascuiar compared with, the normal myometrium. The congenital absence of uterine arteries has an incidence rate of 0.24 % When the uterine artery is absent, it often is replaced by the ipsilateral ovarian artery or by small arterial pelvic branches.