Opacification of Hepatic Veins During Celiac and Hepatic Angiography

When the hepatic veins are opacified during celiac or hepatic arteriography, a hemodynamic abnormality in the hepatic arterial or portal venous system should be suspected. The hepatic veins were opacified in only 3 of 50 patients with normal hepatic and portal hemodynamics. Hepatic veins were frequently opacified, however, when pancreatic masses compressed the splenic or portal vein and when vascular tumors caused increased hepatic arterial blood flow. Although hepatic arterial blood flow is often increased in cirrhosis, hepatic veins were not opacified in any of the 33 cases, presumably because of a hepatic venous blockage peculiar to cirrhosis.