Liver Imaging: A Case of Liver Imaging: A Case of
Cirrhosis and BuddCirrhosis and Budd--ChiariChiari
Rachel Rachel WeinermanWeinerman
HMS IVHMS IV
BIDMC Radiology Core RotationBIDMC Radiology Core Rotation
September 17, 2007September 17, 2007
AgendaAgenda
Patient presentationPatient presentation
Menu of testsMenu of tests
Interpretation of studies, part IInterpretation of studies, part I
Differential DiagnosisDifferential Diagnosis
AnatomyAnatomy
Interpretation of studies, part IIInterpretation of studies, part II
Diagnosis and outcomeDiagnosis and outcome
Our Patient: Clinical PresentationOur Patient: Clinical Presentation
Mr. P is a previously healthy 30Mr. P is a previously healthy 30--year year
old man who presents to the EDold man who presents to the ED
WeekWeek--long history of:long history of:
•• Back painBack pain
•• Abdominal distensionAbdominal distension
•• 1515--lb weight gainlb weight gain
No significant PMHNo significant PMH
ROS significant for insomniaROS significant for insomnia
Menu of TestsMenu of Tests
Imaging options to evaluate back pain and Imaging options to evaluate back pain and
abdominal distension:abdominal distension:
•• CTCT
Test of choiceTest of choice
•• MRIMRI
If CT equivocalIf CT equivocal
•• UltrasoundUltrasound
If RUQ If RUQ biliarybiliary etiology suggested etiology suggested
•• Plain filmsPlain films
Seldom usefulSeldom useful
•• AngiographyAngiography
No longer used for diagnosis; used for therapeutic No longer used for diagnosis; used for therapeutic
interventionsinterventions
BWH Centricity
Arrow: Recanalized umbilical vein
Our Patient: Cirrhosis on Axial Abdominal CT
Star: Ascites
Other features of cirrhosis: Enlarged
spleen, Enlarged liver caudate and left
lobes, atrophied right lobe, heterogeneous
parenchyma
Radiographic Appearance of Radiographic Appearance of
Cirrhosis on CTCirrhosis on CT
Change in liver sizeChange in liver size
•• Atrophy of right lobeAtrophy of right lobe
•• Enlargement of caudate and left lobeEnlargement of caudate and left lobe
Caudate:rightCaudate:right lobe > 0.65 is 90% specific for lobe > 0.65 is 90% specific for
cirrhosiscirrhosis
Change in liver contourChange in liver contour
•• Hobnail appearanceHobnail appearance
Associated changesAssociated changes
•• AscitesAscites
•• SplenomegalySplenomegaly
•• Collateral vesselsCollateral vessels
Differential DiagnosisDifferential Diagnosis
Alcohol abuseAlcohol abuse
Viral hepatitisViral hepatitis
Primary Primary biliarybiliary cirrhosiscirrhosis
HemachromatosisHemachromatosis
VenoVeno--occlusive diseaseocclusive disease
•• BuddBudd--ChiariChiari
•• CHFCHF
Drug toxicityDrug toxicity
Hereditary:Hereditary:
•• WilsonWilson’’s, alphas, alpha--1 anti1 anti--trypsintrypsin, metabolic , metabolic
disordersdisorders
•Our patient had no history of alcohol abuse, no risk factors for
hepatitis, and did not have any history of drug intake.
Our Patient: Axial CT Scan
BWH Centricity
Arrow: Inferior vena cava
The hepatic veins should be seen at this
level and are not seen.
Companion Patient #1:
Normal Axial Abdominal CT
http://radiographics.rsnajnls.org/cgi/content/full/21/suppl_1/S133/F17A
Yellow arrow: Right hepatic vein
Hepatic veins are seen at the
same level
Differential DiagnosisDifferential Diagnosis
Alcohol abuseAlcohol abuse
Viral hepatitisViral hepatitis
Primary Primary biliarybiliary cirrhosiscirrhosis
HemachromatosisHemachromatosis
VenoVeno--occlusive diseaseocclusive disease
•• BuddBudd--ChiariChiari
•• CHFCHF
Drug toxicityDrug toxicity
Hereditary:Hereditary:
•• WilsonWilson’’s, alphas, alpha--1 anti1 anti--trypsintrypsin, metabolic , metabolic
disordersdisorders
Liver Vascular AnatomyLiver Vascular Anatomy
Portal veinPortal vein
•• Right and left branchesRight and left branches
Hepatic veinsHepatic veins
•• Right, left, andRight, left, and
middlemiddle
•• Combine toCombine to
form the IVCform the IVC
http://www.moondragon.org/images2/hepaticanatomy.jpg
Our Patient: Coronal CT Scan
BWH Centricity
Arrow: Main Portal Vein
The portal vein
appears patent on
this coronal CT
Menu of Tests, Part IIMenu of Tests, Part II
Concern is for occlusion of the Concern is for occlusion of the
hepatic veins.hepatic veins.
Imaging options for evaluating Imaging options for evaluating
hepatic vasculature:hepatic vasculature:
•• Ultrasound with DopplerUltrasound with Doppler
•• MR angiogram/MR angiogram/venogramvenogram
•• Conventional angiogram/Conventional angiogram/venogramvenogram
Our Patient: Doppler US
BWH CentricityFlow is seen only in the right hepatic vein; the left
and middle hepatic veins are not visualized.
Clinical DiagnosisClinical Diagnosis
Imaging up to this point suggested Imaging up to this point suggested
venoveno--occlusive diseaseocclusive disease
•• BuddBudd--ChiariChiari syndrome most likelysyndrome most likely
Occlusion of hepatic veinsOcclusion of hepatic veins
Laboratory studies showed a CBC as Laboratory studies showed a CBC as
follows: follows: HctHct 62% 62% PltPlt 876876
•• Suggested Suggested PolycythemiaPolycythemia VeraVera
LFTLFT’’ss were elevated and risingwere elevated and rising
Ammonia level was 88Ammonia level was 88
BuddBudd--ChiariChiari SyndromeSyndrome
ThombosisThombosis of the hepatic veins and/or of the hepatic veins and/or
intrahepaticintrahepatic or or suprahepaticsuprahepatic IVCIVC
EtiologyEtiology
•• MyeloproliferativeMyeloproliferative disordersdisorders
•• MalignancyMalignancy
•• Infection/liver lesionsInfection/liver lesions
•• OCP/pregnancyOCP/pregnancy
•• HypercoagulableHypercoagulable statesstates
Factor V Leiden, Factor V Leiden, ProthrombinProthrombin gene mutation, APLA, gene mutation, APLA,
Protein C/S deficiency, ATIII deficiency, PNH, Protein C/S deficiency, ATIII deficiency, PNH,
nephroticnephrotic syndrome)syndrome)
•• BehcetBehcet’’ss syndrome, other autoimmune syndrome, other autoimmune
disordersdisorders
•• IdiopathicIdiopathic
PolycythemiaPolycythemia VeraVera
MyelioproliferativeMyelioproliferative disorderdisorder
•• Increased Increased hematocrithematocrit, white blood cell , white blood cell
count, and plateletscount, and platelets
MechanismMechanism
•• Red blood cell production in the absence Red blood cell production in the absence
of erythropoietin stimulationof erythropoietin stimulation
•• JAK2 mutation usually responsibleJAK2 mutation usually responsible
Can cause clotting and thrombosis Can cause clotting and thrombosis
due to increased viscosity of blooddue to increased viscosity of blood
BuddBudd--ChiariChiari: Radiologic : Radiologic
AppearanceAppearance
Doppler USDoppler US
•• Lack of flow in hepatic veinsLack of flow in hepatic veins
CT with IV contrastCT with IV contrast
•• Thrombus may be visible within the hepatic Thrombus may be visible within the hepatic
venous systemvenous system
MRVMRV
•• Reduced caliber or absence of hepatic veinsReduced caliber or absence of hepatic veins
VenographyVenography
•• ““Spider webSpider web”” appearance of the hepatic appearance of the hepatic
vasculaturevasculature
•• Thrombus or occlusion of IVC or hepatic veinsThrombus or occlusion of IVC or hepatic veins
Our Patient: Venogram
Performed during transjugular biopsy of the
liver
BWH Centricity
Our Patient: Digital Subtraction Venogram
BWH Centricity
Arrow: “Spider-web” hepatic vasculature
Absence of normal hepatic veins with spider
web vasculature, characteristic of Budd-Chiari
BuddBudd--ChiariChiari: Treatment: Treatment
ThrombolysisThrombolysis
•• Interventional radiologyInterventional radiology
•• Only if acute thrombus is presentOnly if acute thrombus is present
Angioplasty/Angioplasty/StentingStenting
ShuntShunt
•• To relieve hepatic venous congestionTo relieve hepatic venous congestion
Medical therapyMedical therapy
•• Treat underlying causeTreat underlying cause
•• LactuloseLactulose, beta, beta--blocker, diureticblocker, diuretic
Liver transplantLiver transplant
Our Patient: DiagnosisOur Patient: Diagnosis
Diagnosis:Diagnosis:
•• FulminantFulminant hepatic failure, acute on chronichepatic failure, acute on chronic
•• BuddBudd--ChiariChiari syndromesyndrome
•• PolycythemiaPolycythemia veravera
Tissue diagnosis:Tissue diagnosis:
•• Liver biopsyLiver biopsy
Compatible with cirrhosis and BuddCompatible with cirrhosis and Budd--ChiariChiari
•• Bone marrow biopsyBone marrow biopsy
MyeloproliferationMyeloproliferation consistent with consistent with polycythemiapolycythemia veravera
JAK2 mutation presentJAK2 mutation present
PMH revisited:PMH revisited:
•• prior records indicated elevated prior records indicated elevated hematocrithematocrit as early as as early as
20042004
•• Mother had essential Mother had essential thrombocytosisthrombocytosis (elevated platelets)(elevated platelets)
Our Patient: TreatmentOur Patient: Treatment
Treatment for BuddTreatment for Budd--ChiariChiari::
•• LactuloseLactulose, , NadololNadolol, , LasixLasix
•• Therapeutic Therapeutic paracentesisparacentesis
Treatment for Treatment for polycythemiapolycythemia veravera
•• Therapeutic phlebotomyTherapeutic phlebotomy
•• HydroxyureaHydroxyurea
•• Heparin for antiHeparin for anti--coagulationcoagulation
Placed on liver transplant listPlaced on liver transplant list
Thank you!Thank you!
Dr. Gillian LiebermanDr. Gillian Lieberman
Dr. Jacques Dr. Jacques ThamTham
NycaNyca BowenBowen
The nurses, residents, fellows,The nurses, residents, fellows,
and attendings who helped me careand attendings who helped me care
for Mr. P during my subfor Mr. P during my sub--internshipinternship
.
Liver Imaging: A Case of Cirrhosis and Budd-Chiari
Agenda
Our Patient: Clinical Presentation
Menu of Tests
Slide Number 5
Radiographic Appearance of Cirrhosis on CT
Differential Diagnosis
Our Patient: Axial CT Scan
Companion Patient #1:�Normal Axial Abdominal CT
Differential Diagnosis
Liver Vascular Anatomy
Our Patient: Coronal CT Scan
Menu of Tests, Part II
Our Patient: Doppler US
Clinical Diagnosis
Budd-Chiari Syndrome
Polycythemia Vera
Budd-Chiari: Radiologic Appearance
Our Patient: Venogram�Performed during transjugular biopsy of the liver
Our Patient: Digital Subtraction Venogram�
Budd-Chiari: Treatment
Our Patient: Diagnosis
Our Patient: Treatment
Thank you!