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CC BY 4.0 · Journal of Gastrointestinal and Abdominal Radiology 2023; 06(02): 123-137
DOI: 10.1055/s-0043-1764311
Original Article

Imaging Approach to Portal Hypertension

Antony Augustine 
1   Department of Radiodiagnosis, Christian Medical College, Vellore, India
,
Reetu John
1   Department of Radiodiagnosis, Christian Medical College, Vellore, India
,
Betty Simon
1   Department of Radiodiagnosis, Christian Medical College, Vellore, India
,
Anuradha Chandramohan 
1   Department of Radiodiagnosis, Christian Medical College, Vellore, India
,
Shyamkumar N. Keshava
1   Department of Radiodiagnosis, Christian Medical College, Vellore, India
,
Anu Eapen
1   Department of Radiodiagnosis, Christian Medical College, Vellore, India
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Abstract

Increase in portal venous pressure (termed portal hypertension) is seen in a variety of liver diseases. Imaging tests are useful to detect portal hypertension and identify its cause. Noninvasive tests like abdominal ultrasound and Doppler studies are routinely done in clinical practice for this indication. Cross-sectional studies like computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging are especially useful to delineate morphological abnormalities in the liver. Invasive tests like assessment of hepatic venous pressure gradient are done less frequently for specific indications. Distinctive imaging findings help differentiate the different causes of portal hypertension like cirrhosis and vascular liver disorders like noncirrhotic portal hypertension, extrahepatic portal venous obstruction, and Budd–Chiari syndrome. Radiological interventions are increasingly used to treat complications of portal hypertension like refractory ascites or refractory bleeding from gastroesophageal varices.

Keywords

Portal hypertension - Noncirrhotic portal hypertension - Budd-Chiari syndrome - Liver elastography


Publication History

Article published online:
17 April 2023

© 2023. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, permitting unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction so long as the original work is properly cited. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

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