Value of MSCT in Assessing Portal System and Its Collateral in Portal Hypertension

Objective: To evaluate multi-spiral CT(MSCT) in demonstrating portal system and its collateral in portal hypertension. Materials and Methods: Multi-spiral CT portography was performed in 30 patients with cirrhosis complicated by portal hypertension, and 10 patients were performed conventional portography simultaneously(transarterial indirect portography) . Result: Three-dimensional helical CT portography simultaneously depicted second or third branches of the intrahepatic portal vein and provided images of entire portosystemic collaterals. On 3D helical CT portography, splenic varices were seen in 29 patients(96.7%) , left gastric veins in 28(93%) ,esophageal and paraesophageal varices in 27(90%), posterior gastric veins or short gastric veins in 19(63%) ,gastrorenal shunts in 10(33%),retroperitoneal varices in 9(30%),abdominal wall and paraumbilical varices in 6(20%) .Findings of 3D helical CT portography in 10 patients were superior to conventional angiographic portography(transarterial indirect portography) .Conclusion: As a non-invasive and reliable method, multi-spiral CT portography can provide valuable information about the portal venous system