Budd–Chiari Syndrome: Peripheral Abnormal Intensity of the Liver on Magnetic Resonance Imaging: Case Reports

Abstract

Heterogeneity of signal intensity in the hepatic parenchyma on T1- or T2-weighted images of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of patients with Budd-Chiari syndrome has been reported [1-3]. Soyer et al. [3] reported that hyperintensity on T2-weighted images were correlated with hepatic congestion, oedema and necrosis, and that hypointensity on both T1-and T2-weighted images was correlated with fibrosis of the hepatic parenchyma in patients with Budd-Chiari syndrome. They suspected that the heterogeneity of signal intensity in the hepatic parenchyma on MR imaging was probably due to haemodynamic disturbances in the portal flow. However, this hypothesis has not yet been proven. We present a patient with Budd-Chiari syndrome in whom abnormal intensities on MR imaging were observed in the periphery of the liver, the cause of which may be due to the portal flow disturbance which was confirmed by computed tomography during arterial portography (CTAP). The recognition of blood flow disturbance appears important for the precise interpretation of hepatic abnormal intensities on MR imaging in Budd-Chiari syndrome.