Diagnostic imaging of Budd-Chiari syndrome in adults and children

Budd-Chiari syndrome is caused by the obstruction of the hepatic veins or of the inferior vena cava. It is characterized by the classic symptomatological triad: ascites, hepatomegaly, and abdominal pain. In 2/3 cases its etiology remains unknown. Budd-Chiari syndrome may be associated with polycythemia vera, neoplasms, chronic leukemia, congenital abnormalities, hypercoagulation conditions, pregnancy, oral contraceptives, and constrictive pericarditis. Even though its clinical diagnosis is difficult, radiology plays a decisive role with US, CT, MR imaging and, above all, angiography; the latter, together with liver biopsy, generally provides with an unquestionable diagnosis. Through the definition of stage of the disease, of level (intrahepatic, venous, caval, cardiac), of type (intrinsic or extrinsic), and degree of both obstruction and consequent development of collateral channels, radiology determines which patients should undergo a medical or a surgical treatment. In some case, percutaneous angioplasty can be performed. Four cases of Budd-Chiari syndrome, including two children, were investigated with US, CT, angiography, and liver biopsy; MR imaging was also employed in one case. The underlying cause was identified in 3 patients: constrictive pericarditis of probable congenital origin and web occlusion of the inferior vena cava near the right atrium in the 2 children; hepatic vein thrombosis due to essential thrombocythemia in the third case. In the fourth patient, thrombosis of the inferior vena cava and hepatic veins was unexplained. The diagnosis was established by means of liver biopsy and phlebography of the hepatic veins. Good diagnostic information was also supplied by non-invasive techniques, such as US, CT, and MR imaging.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)