Interventional Radiology for the Portal Vein Circulation: Development of Portography and Interventional Procedures

Abstract

This paper is an introduction to the interventional radiology for the portal vein circulation. The developmental history of portography was studied and interventional procedure for the portal vein circulation were described. Compared with venography and arteriography, portography is 20–21 years behind. It is the main reason of the delay that portal vein is not visible and palpable. At present, it is no exaggeration to say that portography is only used in interventional procedure. New direct approaches are beeing created by the progress and the improvement of diagnostic tools (IVUS) and devices (stentgraft).