Radiology, Vol 195, 117-121, Copyright © 1995 by Radiological Society of North America
Diagnosis of Budd-Chiari syndrome: comparison between sonography and MR angiography
R Kane and S Eustace
Department of Radiological Sciences, Deaconess Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215.
PURPOSE: To compare findings with color Doppler sonography and magnetic
resonance (MR) angiography in the diagnosis of Budd-Chiari syndrome.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Doppler sonographic scans and MR angiograms in 11
patients (five men and six women; age range, 30-63 years; mean age, 45
years) with proved Budd-Chiari syndrome were subjected to retrospective
review. RESULTS: Occlusion of three hepatic veins was identified in each of
two patients, of two hepatic veins in each of four patients, and of one
hepatic vein in each of five patients at both Doppler sonography and MR
angiography. Dominant intrahepatic venovenous collateral pathways were
identified in eight of 11 patients and spider- web collaterals were
identified in three of 11 patients at both sonography and MR angiography.
CONCLUSION: Sonography enables noninvasive diagnosis of Budd-Chiari
syndrome. MR angiography affords similar diagnostic information and may be
of value when the diagnosis is not clear after sonographic examination or
when body habitus limits a complete sonographic examination.
