[Imaging diagnosis of Budd-Chiari syndrome: report of 24 cases]

In 24 patients with Budd-Chiari syndrome age 15-66, 19 were men, and 5 women. The patients experienced abdominal pain, hepatomegaly, splenomegaly and ascites. Imaging examinations were carried out in all the patients (16 ultrasonography, 5 Doppler, 10 CT, 18 venography, and 4 MRI). Direct features of Budd-Chiari syndrome were striking reduction in caliber, complete absence or obstruction of hepatic veins, intrahepatic inferior vena cava, "comma-shaped" or curled-tubular intrahepatic collateral veins; indirect signs included hepatomegaly, splenomegaly and ascites, extrahepatic collateral veins. Ultrasonography,CT, MRI and venography were all useful in the diagnosis of patients with Budd-Chiari syndrome. It is suggested that ultrasonography is a non-invasive procedure and MRI is the best imaging procedure of choice in the evaluation of Budd-Chiari syndrome.