Spontaneous portoazygos shunt in a patient with portal hypertension

J Radiol Case Rep. 2013 Jul 1;7(7):32-6. doi: 10.3941/jrcr.v7i7.1437. eCollection 2013 Jul.

Abstract

We present a case of spontaneous portoazygos shunt in a patient with liver cirrhosis and portal hypertension. The shunt was incidentally detected by abdominal magnetic resonance imaging for routine evaluation of liver cirrhosis. Multiplanar reconstruction images demonstrated the portal vein communicating with the azygos vein that was dilated and tortuous along its course to the mediastinum. Although there has been a case of congenital portoazygos shunt reported in a neonate with multiple congenital anomalies, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of spontaneous portoazygos shunt developed in an adult with portal hypertension.

Keywords: CT; MRI; Portal Hypertension; Portoazygos shunt; Portosystemic shunt.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Azygos Vein*
  • Collateral Circulation*
  • Humans
  • Hypertension, Portal / physiopathology*
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Portal Vein*
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed