Abstract
The purpose of this study is to evaluate MR angiography for portal hypertension. Breath hold three-dimensional Gadolinium-enhanced MR angiography was performed in 15 patients with portal hypertension (13 patients with liver cirrhosis, 2 patients with idiopathic portal hypertension). MR angiography could depict varicose veins, shunt, afferent routes and efferent routes. In nine of 15 cases, X-ray angiography was performed. In 9 patients, MR angiography depicted these collateral vessels more clearly than angiography. Furthermore, MR angiography could estimate the improvement of varices and collateral vessels after interventional radiology (IVR). MR angiography depicted afferent and efferent routes clearly (especially tiny routes, inferior phrenic vein), and could be performed easily and noninvasively. MR angiography, provides an alternative to X-ray angiography for preoperative and/or postoperative planning for IVR such as transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt, balloon occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration, and so on.
