MAGNETIC-RESONANCE ANGIOGRAPHY IN TRANSJUGULAR INTRAHEPATIC PORTOSYSTEMIC STENTING - COMPARISON WITH CONTRAST HEPATIC AND PORTAL VENOGRAPHY

In order to highlight the role of magnetic resonance angiography [MRA] in the assessment of patients pre-transjugular intrahepatic portosyst emic shunt (TIPS) stenting, the MRA images of portal and hepatic veins of 21 patients were compared with the images from contrast portal and hepatic venograms performed on the same patients at the time of TIPS stenting (20 patients). MRA enabled accurate, non-invasive, multiplana r imaging of portal and systemic venous anatomy in each of the patient s studied. MRA facilitated accurate determination of vessel patency an d flow direction, images correlating exactly with contrast venograms o f hepatic and portal veins in each case. In one patient, identificatio n of occult hepatocellular carcinoma extending to the portal vein lead to the postponement of the TIPS procedure.