title: The diameter of the originating vein determines esophageal and gastric fundic varices in portal hypertension secondary to posthepatitic cirrhosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to determine whether and how the diameter of the vein that gives rise to the inflowing vein of the esophageal and gastric fundic varices secondary to posthepatitic cirrhosis, as measured with multidetector-row computed tomography, could predict the varices and their patterns.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 106 patients with posthepatitic cirrhosis underwent multidetector-row computed tomography. Patients with and without esophageal and gastric fundic varices were enrolled in Group 1 and Group 2, respectively. Group 1 was composed of Subgroup A, consisting of patients with varices, and Subgroup B consisted of patients with varices in combination with portal vein-inferior vena cava shunts. The diameters of the originating veins of veins entering the varices were reviewed and statistically analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The originating veins were the portal vein in 8% (6/75) of patients, the splenic vein in 65.3% (49/75) of patients, and both the portal and splenic veins in 26.7% (20/75) of patients. The splenic vein diameter in Group 1 was larger than that in Group 2, whereas no differences in portal vein diameters were found between groups. In Group 1, the splenic vein diameter in Subgroup A was larger than that in Subgroup B. A cut-off splenic vein diameter of 8.5 mm achieved a sensitivity of 83.3% and specificity of 58.1% for predicting the varices. For discrimination of the varices in combination with and without portal vein-inferior vena cava shunts, a cut-off diameter of 9.5 mm achieved a sensitivity of 66.7% and specificity of 60.0%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The diameter of the splenic vein can be used to predict esophageal and gastric fundic varices and their patterns.
authors: Sichuan Key Laboratory of Medical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College, Sichuan, China.
authors: Hai-ying
authors: HY
authors: Zhou
authors: Tian-wu
authors: TW
authors: Chen
authors: Xiao-ming
authors: XM
authors: Zhang
authors: Li-ying
authors: LY
authors: Wang
authors: Li
authors: L
authors: Zhou
authors: Guo-li
authors: GL
authors: Dong
authors: Nan-lin
authors: NL
authors: Zeng
authors: Hang
authors: H
authors: Li
authors: Xiao-li
authors: XL
authors: Chen
authors: Rui
authors: R
authors: Li
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004932:Esophageal and Gastric Varices / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006975:Hypertension, Portal / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D061330:Multidetector Computed Tomography; D015588:Observer Variation; D009929:Organ Size; D011169:Portal Vein / Q000473:pathology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012372:ROC Curve; D013162:Splenic Vein / Q000473:pathology*; D055815:Young Adult