Heterogeneous hepatic enhancement on CT angiography in idiopathic portal hypertension.
BACKGROUND
Idiopathic portal hypertension is an uncommon condition characterized by presinusoidal portal perfusion disturbance without known causes.


METHODS
In the present study, portal and arterial perfusion dynamics were evaluated in two cases with idiopathic portal hypertension using computed tomography during arterial portography and hepatic arteriography. Ten cases with liver cirrhosis were also studied as a reference.


RESULTS
In cases with idiopathic portal hypertension, portal perfusion was conspicuously heterogeneous and decreased especially at the periphery of the liver where arterial perfusion was reciprocally increased. When the spatial heterogeneity of an enhancement of the liver was quantified using a densitometric analysis of computed tomography during hepatic arteriography images, the densities at the periphery were higher and varied more than those of the inner areas in cases with idiopathic portal hypertension. In contrast, the densities did not vary between the periphery and the inner areas at the cases with liver cirrhosis.


CONCLUSIONS
The heterogeneous increase of arterial perfusion in periphery of the liver may be an important feature of idiopathic portal hypertension.
Waguri
Nobuo
N
Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Cellular Function, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Science, Niigata University, 757 Asahimachi-Dori 1, Niigata city, Niigata 951-8122, Japan. waguri@med.nigata-u.ac.jp
Suda
Takeshi
T
Kamura
Takeshi
T
Aoyagi
Yutaka
Y
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000792:Angiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006975:Hypertension, Portal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008099:Liver / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D011172:Portography; D011856:Radiographic Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed