Imaging features of vascular compression in abdomen: Fantasy, phenomenon, or true syndrome

Abstract

Vascular structures in the abdomen can compress or be compressed by adjacent structures. Classic imaging findings of vascular compressions, including median arcuate ligament syndrome, superior mesenteric artery syndrome, nutcracker syndrome, portal biliopathy, May-Thurner syndrome, and ureteropelvic junction obstruction will be discussed here. It is important to correlate imaging findings and clinical data to identify asymptomatic vascular compression which requires no treatment, intermittent vascular compression with nonspecific or vague clinical manifestation, and the subset of patients with true syndromes who will benefit from treatment.