Abstract: Abstract  Objective   To study the value of 256 slice spiral CT in internal thoracic artery. Methods   retrospectively analysis the angiographic images of 107 patients who were suspected of thoracic and abdominal aortic disease, through observed the original image and maximum intensity projection ( MIP ) image and volume rendering ( VR ) image, preliminary observed the internal thoracic artery running rule and its branch on both sides, each side of the internal thoracic artery were divided into 3 sections, then measured lumen and vessel length and its branches of three segmental vascular of the internal thoracic artery, measured the lumen of diaphragmatic artery diameter, measured the distance between internal thoracic artery and each border of sternum. Results  107 cases of patients with both sides of the internal thoracic artery and its branches diaphragmatic arteries can be shown, all of the selected cases of internal thoracic artery have arisen from both sides of the subclavian artery, downward along the inner side of costal cartilage, to the level of the sixth intercostal space were divided into superior epigastric artery and diaphragmatic arteries, two side intrathoracic artery proximal to the vascular lumen diameter , left were ( 2.52± 0.38 ) mm, right were ( 2.49 ±0.27) mm, the middle section , left were ( 2.32 ±0.19) mm, right were ( 2.30 ±0.22) mm, the distal left were ( 2.02± 0.17 ) mm, right were ( 2.13 ±0.12) mm, between the three department there were statistics significance ( p<0.05 ), between each side of the corresponding segment there were not statistical significance ( p>0.05 ). The length of left internal thoracic artery average was ( 22.33± 2.10 ) cm, the right internal thoracic artery average was ( 20.96± 1.99 ) cm, there were significant difference ( p<0.05 ). Two sides of the diameter of diaphragmatic arteries: the right were (1.91 ±0.22) mm, left were ( 1.89 ±0.11) mm, there were not significant difference ( p>0.05 ). On both sides the distance of the internal thoracic artery to the sternal edge: left were ( 2.13± 0.17 ) cm, right were ( 2.07 ±0.26),there were not significant difference ( p>0.05 ). Conclusion   the application of 256 slice spiral CT angiography can clearly show the internal thoracic artery running rule and anatomical features, clinical diagnosis and treatment for diseases related to provide a relatively important information.

Key words: thoracic arteries, tomography, spiral computed, Tomography, X-ray computed, Angiography