PORTACAVAL-SHUNT WITH UNUSUAL CT AND MR MANIFESTATIONS

Objective: We investigated the radiological findings of three cases wi th unusual portocaval shunts. Materials and Methods: Three patients wi th liver cirrhosis and portal hypertension were examined using CT and MRI. CT was performed using intravenous bolus injection of contrast me dium in one and with incremental dynamic scanning in two cases. MRI wa s performed with a 1.5 or 0.5 T superconducting system or with a 0.22 T resistive system in the three patients. Results: CT and MRI showed t ortuous intrahepatic tubular structures connecting the right posterior portal vein to the inferior vena cava (IVC) in two of the patients. A n anomalous vein arising from the extrahepatic portal vein was a tribu tary connected with the IVC in one patient. Symptoms associated with h epatic encephalopathy were present in two of the patients whose blood ammonia levels were elevated. Conclusion: The possibility of the exist ence of hepatic encephalopathy should be borne in mind when these shun ts are detected during abdominal imaging.