Affiliation:
1. Faculty of Medicine, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, Odunpazari/Eskisehir, Turkey
Abstract
Purpose:
Intrahepatic portosystemic shunts (PSSs) draining to the inferior vena cava (IVC)
via the right adrenal vein has been reported as very rare, and all the patients who have been recorded
have had hepatic encephalopathy. Here, we present a patient with intrahepatic PSS via the right adrenal
vein diagnosed incidentally without encephalopathy.
Case Presentation:
A 51-year-old patient, who was diagnosed with chronic liver parenchyma disease
and a suspecting nodule on the ultrasound was examined by computed tomography (CT) and magnetic
resonance imaging (MRI). A 4 cm in diameter hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was detected. In addition
to HCC, an abnormal shunt between the right posterior portal vein and the IVC via the right adrenal
vein was also detected.
Results:
To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case with intrahepatic PSS via the right adrenal
vein diagnosed incidentally in the absence of encephalopathy and the fourth case with this abnormal
shunt in English literature.
Conclusions:
Intrahepatic PSS via the right adrenal vein is rare. It may be asymptomatic at the time of
diagnosis but has the potential to cause various problems, later on, especially hepatic encephalopathy.
The radiologist must be aware of this abnormal shunt.
Publisher
Bentham Science Publishers Ltd.
Subject
Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and imaging
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