Altered liver morphology after portal vein thrombosis: not always cirrhosis

The macroscopic appearance of the liver after primary portal vein thrombosis often mimics cirrhosis, despite the absence of bridging fibrosis at histology. The purpose of this study was to describe unique morphologic changes of the liver after portal venous thrombosis. A retrospective review was performed to find patients with portal vein thrombosis and a corresponding noncirrhotic liver biopsy. The CT appearance of the liver was then evaluated, and the liver was categorized as having either peripheral or central hepatic atrophy. Of 15 patients included in this study, 12 had peripheral atrophy of the liver, while the remaining three had central atrophy. We concluded that maintenance of central portal venous blood flow and resultant relative peripheral atrophy of the liver may account for a distinctive rounded configuration of the liver after acute portal vein thrombosis. Awareness of this appearance after primary portal vein thrombosis may prevent an erroneous diagnosis of cirrhosis.