Hepatic portal venous gas in ultrasonogram--benign or noxious.
The purpose of this study was to investigate and differentiate the characteristics of benign hepatic portal venous gas (HPVG) and noxious HPVG on sonographic images. This study included seven patients (age 65 to 89 y; mean 75 y) with sonograms and computed tomography (CT) images performed within 4-h interval. The sonographic findings of HPVG could be categorized into three patterns: (1) dot-like pattern in two patients; (2) streak-like pattern in three patients; and (3) fruit-pulp-like pattern in two. In the cases of dot-like pattern, it is of a benign transient situation; this phenomenon may be only demonstrated on sonograms but not necessarily on CT. The prognosis is more favorable and any subsequent CT may not be required. In the cases of streak-like or fruit-pulp-like patterns without localized liver lesions (e.g., abscess), it usually indicates a noxious scenario with worse clinical sequelae. We concluded that the identification of sonographic patterns of HPVG might be important to predict patient's outcome.
Pan
Huay-Ben
HB
Department of Radiology, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Huang
Jer-Shyung
JS
Yang
Tsung-Lung
TL
Liang
Huei-Lung
HL
D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005740:Gases / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011169:Portal Vein / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014463:Ultrasonography
D005740:Gases