Hepatic arterioportal shunts not directly related to hepatocellular carcinoma: Findings on CT during hepatic arteriography, CT arterial portography and dual phase spiral CT

AIM: To evaluate findings of arterioportal shunts not directly related to h epatocellular carcinoma (HCC) which were seen within third-order portal bra nches on computed tomography (CT) during hepatic arteriography (CTHA), arte rial portography (CTAP), and dual phase spiral CT. MATERIALS AND METHODS: At CTHA in 112 patients, we examined third-order por tal vein branches to find arterioportal shunts not directly related to HCC. Six cases were found. We evaluated the findings of these shunts on CTHA an d investigated whether CTAP (n = 6) and dual phase spiral CT (n = 5) showed perfusion defects in the corresponding areas on arterioportal shunts. RESULTS: Five of six cases showed abrupt visualization of portal branches w ithout visualization of the proximal portion of CTHA. Five of six cases sho wed no perfusion defect on CTAP and no hyperattenuating area on CTHA. Four of five cases showed no hyperattenuating area on hepatic arterial phase spi ral CT. CONCLUSION: Arterioportal shunts not directly related to HCC and occuring w ithin third-order portal branches mainly showed abrupt visualization of por tal branches on CTHA. These occurred frequently without perfusion defects o n CTAP and without a hyperattenuating area on CTHA and hepatic arterial pha se spiral CT. (C) 2000 The Royal College of Radiologists.