Imaging of the ductus venosus in neonates - From patency to closure

Objective. To familiarize the radiologist with the variable sonographic app earance of the involuting ductus venosus in neonates. Methods. Five sick ne onates ranging in age from 24 to 42 weeks had abdominal sonographic examina tions to check for intra-abdominal diseases. Results. Doppler sonography sh owed a patent ductus venosus in 3 neonates and a ductus venosus with thromb osis in 2 neonates. The ductus venosus was identified in the liver between the left portal vein and the inferior vena cava. In 2 patients, follow-up s onography showed that the ductus venosus progressively had thrombosis and t hen disappeared. Conclusions. The ductus venosus in a neonate has a variabl e sonographic appearance depending on its stage of involution. Its detectio n in a sick neonate can lead to inadvertent diagnosis of a hepatic varix, a n abscess, or a tumor.