Incidence, Patterns, and Clinical Relevance of Variant Portal Vein Anatomy

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of variant intrahepatic portal vein anatomy detected on CT portography and to discuss surgical implications. CONCLUSION: Variant portal vein anatomy is nearly as common as variant hepatic artery anatomy. The complexity of hepatic interventions now performed by interventional radiologists and surgeons, including portal vein embolization, anatomic resection, and transplantation, make recognition and understanding of normal and variant portal vein anatomy increasingly important.