The purpose of this retrospective study was to investigate the prevalence of renal artery (RA) and renal vein (RV) variations, the distribution of these variations with respect to gender and the types of RA and RV variations on multi-detector computed tomographic (MDCT) angiography.

The MDCT angiography examinations of 504 patients (317 men, 187 women) with a mean age of 56.4 years±11.7 (SD) (range: 18–92 years) were retrospectively reviewed to determine the number and branching pattern of the RAs and the number and variations of the RVs (retroaortic or circumaortic left RV, late venous confluence).

The prevalence of multiple RAs was 31.3% (22.2% for two RAs, 7.5% for three RAs, 1.4% for four RAs, 0.2% for five RAs) and prehilar branching was 6.5%. The prevalence of multiple right RVs was 21.6% (19.2% for two RVs, 2.2% for three RVs and, 0.2% for four RVs). The prevalence of circumaortic left RV was 5.2%, retroaortic left RV was 4.2% and, late venous confluence was 7.3%. No associations were found between gender and presence of RA or RV variations (P=0.630 and 0.650, respectively).

Accessory RAs are frequently observed. Multiple right RVs is the most common RV variation. No associations are found between gender and RA or RV variations.