title: Computed tomography findings of spontaneous porto-pulmonary shunts in 3 patients with portal hypertension.
abstract: Spontaneous portopulmonary shunts in the setting of cirrhosis have been associated with the embolization of gelfoam during the treatment of esophageal varices, resulting in strokes. Currently there is minimal data describing the prevalence of spontaneous portopulmonary shunts. Our aim is to demonstrate computed tomography (CT) imaging findings of spontaneous portopulmonary venous anastomoses in patients with underlying portal hypertension. Clinical cases with accompanying CT images are presented and described. A review of the literature is discussed. CT is a useful method for identifying shunting, both spontaneous and surgical, of the portal circulation secondary to hypertension. A less known type of anastomosis involves the pulmonary circulation, specifically the pulmonary veins and left atrium, that can also be recognized with CT.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Cleveland Clinic Florida, Weston, FL 33331, USA.
authors.forename: Anand
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: German
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gonzalez
authors.forename: Lana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wilkinson
authors.forename: Tan-Lucien
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Mohammed
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Castro-Pavia
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Glockner
authors.forename: Jacobo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kirsch
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006975:Hypertension, Portal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011167:Portacaval Shunt, Surgical; D011169:Portal Vein / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed