PMC3037992_01
Axial computed tomography of the liver at the phase of recent portal vein thrombosis. Solid and dashed arrows indicate the enlarged portal vein and the aorta, respectively.
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F1
An emergency non-enhanced computed tomography (CT) of the liver (fig. 1a, c, e) showed a high luminal density within the main portal vein and splenic vein, which was suggestive of the formation of fresh thrombus; a contrast-enhanced CT scan at the portal phase (fig. 1b, d, f) demonstrated that the diameter of the main portal vein was distended to nearly 3-fold that of the aorta, and a few fine collateral vessels developed around the thrombosed portal trunk in the liver hilum.
Axial computed tomography of the liver at the phase of portal cavernoma. Arrows indicate the hilum in which the main portal vein was replaced by collateral vessels. Arrowheads and asterisks indicate the ascites and splenomegaly, respectively.
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F2
Ascites and splenomegaly were shown on a contrast-enhanced CT scan (fig. 2).
Indirect portography via superior mesenteric artery (a) and splenoportography (b). Dashed arrows indicate the collateral veins.
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F3
Indirect portography via superior mesenteric artery revealed numerous hepatopetal collateral vessels in the liver hilum (fig. 3a). However, the operation failed, because a guidewire and catheter could not access the portal vein (fig. 3b).