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Case Reports
. 2021 Oct 26;21(1):404.
doi: 10.1186/s12876-021-01970-8.

A rare variation of duplicated portal vein: left branch derived from splenic vein mimicking cavernous transformation

Qian Yang  1   2 , Jun Li  1   2 , Hanwei Wang  1   2 , Shunan Wang  3   4
Affiliations
Case Reports

A rare variation of duplicated portal vein: left branch derived from splenic vein mimicking cavernous transformation

Qian Yang et al. BMC Gastroenterol. .

Abstract

Background: Duplication of the portal vein is a rare type of anatomic variant of the portal vein (PV) system that can be incidentally found and can lead to various challenges and consequences. Herein, we report an unusual case to increase our understanding of such anatomic variants.

Case presentation: A 67-year-old asymptomatic woman was diagnosed with a liver space-occupying lesion by ultrasonography on a routine physical examination. The laboratory examinations from a local hospital suggested that her liver function tests were normal. The liver appeared normal on pre-contrast enhanced CT images. However, there were multiple complex abnormalities of PV found on contrast-enhanced CT scans, including two independent sources of PV (duplication), preduodenal PV, circum-portal pancreas, mimic cavernous transformation, abnormal branches of PV, and transient abnormal perfusion in the left lobe of the liver. MRI showed fatty infiltration in the left lobe of the liver.

Conclusion: This case extends our current understanding of the anatomical variations of the PV system. Knowledge of these complex and rare anatomical variations will help clinical doctors make a confident diagnosis or assist with proper planning of a surgical procedure.

Keywords: Anatomic variant; Case report; Computed tomography; Duplication of the portal vein.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Post-contrast enhanced CT scans of the patient’s abdomen. a Transient perfusion abnormal region at the left lobe of liver (arrowhead). b Tortuous vessels mimic cavernous transformation of the PV (red circle). c–e The VR and MIP images showed SMV and SV join to form a preduodenal portal vein (PV-1) (arrow), and another portal vein (PV-2) (arrowhead) derives from the SV. f The PV-1 directly divided one branch supplied segment IV (arrow)
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
A schematic diagram showing the duplicated portal vein anomaly in our case
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Patient showed fat accumulation in left lobe of liver. a T1 out-phase image showed the hypointensity of left liver lobe(arrowhead). b T1 in-phase image showed the homogeneous signal of left liver lobe (arrowhead)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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