Color Doppler sonography in the diagnosis of neonatal intrahepatic portosystemic shunts

Intrahepatic portosystemic shunts are infrequent in children. We report 3 c ases of neonates who presented with jaundice during the first month of life . Color Doppler sonography in the first 2 cases showed direct communication between the right portal and hepatic veins. Both infants were asymptomatic , and the shunts disappeared spontaneously. The third case involved several shunts and an aberrant medial portal vein. This patient developed heart fa ilure and died after surgery. Color Doppler sonography was useful in the di agnosis and follow-up of the shunts in all 3 cases. (C) 2000 John Wiley & S ons, Inc.