Fig. 4

Aorto-vertebral space. a Measurement of the aorto-vertebral distance (A) with multi-detector computed tomography. Retro-aortic left renal vein (white arrow). Abdominal aorta (*). Osteophyte (black arrow) of the third lumbar vertebral body. b Measurement of the aorto-vertebral distance (A) with B-mode ultrasound. Left renal vein (short arrow). Aorto-vertebral space (long arrow). AA = abdominal aorta; MSA = mesenteric superior artery; CA = celiac artery