AN UNUSUAL LOCALIZATION OF MASSIVE PORTASYSTEMIC COLLATERALS - CT ANGIOGRAPHIC DEMONSTRATION

This article presents a patient with portal hypertension in whom an un usual localization for portosystemic collaterals have incidentally bee n found. Upper abdominal sonography revealed tubular structures fillin g the whole perirenal and partially the perihepatic area, and their ve nous nature was demonstrated with duplex Doppler sonography. Spiral CT angiography identified the right-sided retroperitoneal location and m esenteric-lumbar route of the collaterals. Upper gastrointestinal endo scopy with antral biopsy and percutaneous liver biopsy were performed. Laboratory results and specimen evaluation revealed chronic active he patitis due to hepatitis-B infection. Attention is drawn to the abnorm al location of these vessels, together with the noninvasive nature and competence of CT angiography in demonstrating vascular pathologies.