Portal vein and its tributaries: Evaluation with thin-section three-dimensional contrast-enhanced dynamic fat-suppressed MR imaging

PURPOSE: To evaluate the visibility of the main portal Vein (MPV) and its t ributaries in healthy subjects at thin-section three-dimensional (3D) contr ast material-enhanced dynamic fat-suppressed magnetic resonance (MR) imagin g and to determine whether this technique provides useful information in th e evaluation of patients with cirrhosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy-two patients (37 control subjects, 35 patien ts with cirrhosis) underwent imaging with a high-performance-gradient (25 m T/m) system. RESULTS: In the 37 subjects in the control group, the MPV was visualized in 37; splenic:vein (SV), in 37; superior mesenteric vein (SMV), in 37; infer ior mesenteric vein (IMV), in 35; posterior superior pancreaticoduodenal ve in (PSPDV), in 35; gastrocolic trunk (CT), in 34; right gastroepiploic Vein (RGEV), in 31; right colic vein, in 30; anterior superior pancreaticoduode nal vein, in 22; middle colic vein (MCV), in 29; and first jejunal vein (FJ V), in 36. Satisfactory visualization (mean ratings of 2 or higher) was ach ieved in the MPV, SV, SMV, IMV, PSPDV, GT, RGEV, and FJV in the control gro up. Mean diameters of the SV, SMV, MCV, and FJV were significantly larger i n the cirrhosis group than in the control group (P < .001, P < .001, P = .0 48, and P = .002, respectively). CONCLUSION: Thin-section 3D contrast-enhanced dynamic fat-suppressed MR ima ging can facilitate precise visualization of the MPV and its tributaries. D ilatation of the tributaries may be a nonspecific secondary finding that is suggestive of cirrhosis.