Three cases of Budd-Chiari syndrome diagnosed by nuclear magnetic resonance-computed tomography

Abstract

The authers have experienced 3 cases of Budd-Chiari syndrome in recent 2 years in 1983 and 1984. The patients were all middle-aged males. Two of them were diagnosed as the primary Budd-Chiari syndrome, obstructed inferior vena cava (IVC) with the membranous webs. While the other one was diagnosed as the secondary Budd-Chiari syndrome with the thrombosis in hepatic veins, pulled IVC towards right frontal side due to the thickend pleura. The authers applied NMR-CT as the diagnostic means. The results and its efficacy were compared with the other diagnostic means, especially with the inferior venocavagraphy. NMR-CT had merits of noninvasive, giving three-dimentional images of the lesions as well as the collateral venous shunts, and it was suggested that this tecknique is a useful means for the diagnosis of vascular abnormalities including Budd-Chiari syndrome.