The value of magnetic resonance angiography in imaging portal venous system in portal hypertensive patients

Objective To investigate the value of MRA in imaging the portal venous system of portal hypertensive patients. Methods The portal vein system of 15 portal hypertensive patients (PHT) and 10 controls were compared with magnetic resonance angiography (MRA). Methods:Gd DTPA 0 2 mmol/kg was used as contrast,3D FISP sequence was used to image portal venous system, maximum intensity projection (MIP) method to reconstruct vessels, phase contrast (PC) method to measure the flow velocity,amount and direction. Results Main portal vein 〔MPV (1 58±0 17) cm〕,splenic vein 〔SPV (1 28±0 17) cm〕,superior mesentery vein 〔SMV (1 10±0 19) cm〕 and MPV/AO (0 95±0 10) were larger in PHT than those of control respectively 〔(1 13±0 10) cm,(0 90±0 10) cm,(0 80±0 19) cm,0 66±0 10〕.The differences of MPV,MPV/AO between Child A and B patients were not significant.Positive imaging cases of variceal veins in PHT were:Coronary in 15,esophageal and upper esophageal branch in 10,gastric fundus in 13,esophageal varix in 10.Conclusions MRA is superior to Doppler and other routine procedures in imaging portal venous system in portal hypetensive patients.