## 4 Discussion
A study carried out in Kocaeli, Turkey, in 2024 included the MRI angiography of 185 patients (\(n=108\) males, 77 females) and found that the CT took origin at the level of the T11-T12 intervertebral disc in 3 (1.60%) cases, T12 vertebra in 67 cases (36.20%), the T12-L1 intervertebral disc in 44 cases (23.80%), L1 vertebra in 68 cases (36.80%), and the L1-L2 intervertebral disc in 3 cases (1.60%) [16]. Another study carried out in Romania in 2021 included the CT scan of 107 patients (\(n=68\) males and 39 females) and found that the CT originated at the level of T12 in 37 patients (34.57%), at the level of the T12/L1 intervertebral disc in 21 patients (19.63%), and at the level of L1 vertebra in 49 (45.79%) of patients [17]. A study conducted at the University of Dicle (2021) that included the MDCT angiography of 238 patients (\(n=137\) males, 101 females) found that in seven (2.94%) cases, the CT originated in the T11/T12 intervertebral disc. The CT originated at the level of the T12 vertebra in 121 (50.85%) subjects. Also, in 57 (23.95%) patients, the CT originated from the T12/L1 intervertebral disc, and in 52 (21.84%) cases, the CT originated at the level of the L1 body. In one (0.42%) patient, the CT originated in the L1/L2 intervertebral disc [18]. A comparison of the vertebral origin of the CT among four studies is shown in Figure 8. The vertebral level at which the CT originated among gender in four studies is shown in Table 3.  
In the literature, many branching patterns of the CT have been described. There has been evidence of bifurcation, trifurcation, quadrifurcation [19], and pentafurcation [20] of the CT [21]. There is also a published report on a hexafurcated CT [22]. Moreover, many classifications regarding the branching pattern of the CT have been used in order to describe the patterns observed in different studies. Perhaps the most common classification is [PERSON]'s classification, which has eight types named Type I-Type VIII: Type (I) classic CT (tripus Helleri), (II) hepatospheric trunk, (III) hepatogastric trunk, (IV) hepatospheric-mesenteric trunk, (V) gastrosplenic trunk, (VI) celiac-mesenteric trunk, (VII) celiac-colic, and (VIII) no CT [16]. Many other classifications have been described in the literature, like [PERSON]'s classification, which is divided into six types [23]. This study found that the classical trifurcation of the CT was the most common branching pattern. The incidence of the gastrosplenic and hepatospheric trunks was similar even though in the literature, some studies found that the gastrosplenic was more common [24], while others reported that the hepatospheric was more common [25]. A study reported by [PERSON] et al. (2017) that included the multi-detector CT of 110 patients (\(n=64\) males and 46 females) reported that the incidence of classic CT branching, hepatospheric, and gastrosplenic trunks was 91, 1, and 9, respectively, with gastrosplenic being the most common variation reported in the study [24]. [PERSON] et al. reported that in their study conducted in 2010 that included the MDCT angiographs of 100 patients, they found that 89 patients showed the classical branching of the CT, the hepatospheric trunk was present in 3 patients, while the gastrosplenic trunk was present in 4 patients [26]. The gastrosplenic trunk was the most common variation reported in that study. Moreover, in one patient, the SA and superior mesenteric artery shared a common origin. It was referred to as the'splenomesenteric trunk'. The left gastric and common hepatic originated from another trunk [26]. [PERSON] et al. (2021) [5] reported in their study that included CT scans of 110 patients that only 34 patients exerted the classical trifurcation of the CT. The hepatospheric trunk was found in 66 patients, and in 7 patients, the gastrosplenic trunk was found. In two of the patients that had the gastrosplenic trunk,  
Figure 8: Findings of four studies on the level at which the CT originates (IV disc = intervertebral disc) [16; 17; 18].