A 43-year-old man complains of abdominal pain just above his umbilicus. On examination,
a tumor is found anterior to the IVC. Which of the following structures would
most likely be compressed by this tumor?
(A) Right sympathetic trunk
(B) Left third lumbar artery
© Third part of the duodenum
(D) Left renal artery
(E) Cisterna chyli
The answer is C. The third part of the duodenum (transverse portion) crosses anterior to
the IVC. The other structures do not cross the IVC anteriorly.