The Budd-Chiari syndrome: a review

Area of Science:

• Hepatology
• Vascular Medicine
• Radiology

Background:

• Budd-Chiari syndrome involves hepatic vein or inferior vena cava obstruction.
• The classic triad includes ascites, hepatomegaly, and abdominal pain.
• Etiology is often undetermined, but associated with hypercoagulable states, neoplasms, and congenital abnormalities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the diagnostic challenges of Budd-Chiari syndrome.
• To emphasize the critical role of radiology in diagnosis and management.
• To outline treatment strategies based on diagnostic findings.

Main Methods:

• Review of diagnostic modalities including nuclear medicine, sonography, CT, angiography, and MRI.
• Integration of imaging data with hepatic biopsy findings.
• Assessment of noninvasive imaging for post-treatment follow-up.

Main Results:

• Radiology plays a pivotal role in diagnosing Budd-Chiari syndrome due to clinical diagnostic difficulty.
• Various imaging techniques provide essential data for treatment planning.
• Noninvasive imaging is crucial for monitoring patients post-intervention.

Conclusions:

• Accurate diagnosis of Budd-Chiari syndrome necessitates a multimodal approach, heavily relying on advanced radiology.
• Imaging findings guide therapeutic interventions like percutaneous angioplasty or surgery.
• Post-treatment surveillance using noninvasive imaging is vital for patient management.