The external iliac vein lies medial to the external iliac artery.
The external iliac veins lie medial to the external iliac artery. The external iliac veins are not the veins that join to make the inferior vena cava. First, the external and internal iliac veins join to form a common iliac vein on each side. Then, the common iliacs join to form the inferior vena cava. The inferior vena cava can be imaged-it can be seen in axial CT scans or with a venogram. Veins are not imaged using an arteriogram-an arteriogram is for arteries! Instead, veins can be imaged with a venogram, a test where contrast is injected into the venous system.
