title: Role of Computed tomography in predicting prognosis of Hepatic portal venous gas.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to report through 13 cases the particularities of abdominal computed tomography (CT) aspects of hepatic portal venous gas (HPVG) and its correlation with patient prognosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed abundance of HPVG and its association with pneumatosis intestinalis (PI) in correlation with fatal outcome using chi-square tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Etiologies were mesenteric infarction (n=5), sigmoid diverticulitis (n= 1), septic shock (n=1), postoperative peritonitis (n=1), acute pancreatitis (n=1), iatrogenic cause (n=3) and idiopathic after a laparotomy (n=1). The outcome was fatal in for 6 patients. Abundance of HPV was expressed in total number of hepatic segments involved. The involvement of 3 or more segments was a sensitive sign for lethal outcome with high sensitivity (100%) but it was not specific (50%). Negative predictive value of this sign was 100% (p≤0.005). Positive predictive value of PI for death was 100% (p≤0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Abundance of HPVG is correlated with prognosis. The presence of PI announces poor outcome Negative predictive value of presence of HPVG in 3 or more segments is interesting. Predicting prognosis with CT can help surgeons to assess the most adequate treatment. Iatrogenic causes are increasingly described after interventional radiology procedures with favorable course.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The first etiology radiologists should look for in front of HPVG involving more than 3 hepatic segments and associated with PI is intestinal necrosis which announces a poor prognosis. This study shows that outside of shock situations, HPVG involving 2 or less hepatic segments without PI predicts a good outcome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University Hospital of Bizerta, Tunisia. Electronic address: makrammoussa@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: Makram
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moussa
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Mongi Slim Marsa, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Inès
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Marzouk
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Mongi Slim Marsa, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Kais
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Abdelmoula
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Mongi Slim Marsa, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Amira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Manamani
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Mongi Slim Marsa, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Nadida
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dali
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Mongi Slim Marsa, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Leila Charrada Ben
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Farhat
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Mongi Slim Marsa, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Lotfi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hendaoui
keywords: Acute mesenteric ischemia; Computed tomography; Diverticulitis; Gas; Portal vein; Surgery