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Gallbladder Varices
Case Detail
| Anatomy: Gastrointestinal |
 Joseph Junewick, MD FACR |
| Diagnostic Category: Vascular |
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| Created: over 3 years ago |
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| Updated: over 3 years ago |
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| Tags:
PEDS
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| Modality/Study Types:
US
CT
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Activities:  PDF  ImageJA |
History
Abdominal pain.
Case Images
Diagnosis
Gallbladder varices related to portal vein thrombosis
Findings
US – Mural serpiginous anechoic regions of the gall bladder
CT – Portal vein thrombus with gall bladder wall varicies.
Discussion
Gallbladder varices are portsosystemic shunts between the cystic vein branch of the portal vein and the systemic anterior abdominal wall veins or the intrahepatic portal veins seen with portal hypertension. Gallbladder varices are associated with portal vein thrombosis in 30%. Varices are unrelated to the site of splenoportal obstruction. There is an increased risk for spontaneous and iatrogenic bleeding. Differential diagnoses include: mucous retention cysts, mural edema, and pancreatic rests. Doppler is helpful in differentiating; low velocity portal flow and color flow are demonstrated.
Reference
Chawla Y, Dilawari JB, Katariya S. Gallbladder Varices in Portal Vein Thrombosis. AJR 1994; 162:643-645.