Radiology, Vol 154, 187-189, Copyright © 1985 by Radiological Society of North America
Dilatation of the cystic veins in portal hypertension: sonographic demonstration
GJ Marchal, M Van Holsbeeck, E Tshibwabwa-Ntumba, PG Goddeeris, J Fevery, RH Oyen, B Adisoejoso, AL Baert and W Van Steenbergen
High-resolution real-time ultrasound (6 MHz) demonstrated vascular
dilatation in the adventitial layer of the gallbladder in 7 patients with
portal hypertension. The hypertension was due to long-standing cirrhosis in
4 patients; the other 3 patients had prehepatic hypertension due to
thrombosis involving the portal vein in 1 and the splenoportal confluence
in 2. In one of the cirrhotic patients, postmortem correlation of
sonographic, angiographic, and pathological findings showed that the
dilated vessels seen on sonography were cystic veins draining normally into
the portal vein rather than portosystemic anastomoses. This indicates that
varicosity of the cystic vein can be associated with portal hypertension,
taking the form of either passive dilatation or hepatopetal portal
collateral circulation.
