The cisterna chyli: a systematic review of definition, prevalence, and anatomy.
Level 4 - case-series / case-control
Systematic review of 49 observational, imaging, and cadaveric anatomical studies.
PubMed 36206050 · doi:10.1152/ajpheart.00375.2022
What was done
Authors conducted a systematic review without language or date restrictions to evaluate the definition, prevalence, and anatomy of the human cisterna chyli across 49 published studies encompassing healthy volunteers and patient cohorts.
What was found
Cisterna chyli detectability ranged from 1.7% to 98% depending on the methods and definitions utilized. Its location spanned vertebral levels T10 to L3, with maximum diameter ranging from 2 to 32 mm and maximum length from 13 to 80 mm. Its morphology and tributaries were highly variable, and size increased in some disease states.
Why it matters
Mapping the structural and positional variability of the cisterna chyli is critical for minimizing complications in retroperitoneal surgery and improving access during thoracic duct interventional radiology procedures.
Limits
The absence of standard definitions and diagnostic criteria across the included literature caused extreme variation in detection rates, precluding an accurate estimate of natural population prevalence. The abstract does not state the total number of individuals, specific imaging modalities, or disease states examined.