Primary biliary cirrhosis: MR imaging findings and description of MR imaging periportal halo sign.

OBJECTIVE: This study reviews the prevalence of MR imaging abnormalities seen in 21 consecutive patients with primary biliary cirrhosis before transplantation and describes a new MR imaging sign in these patients: the MR imaging periportal halo sign.
CONCLUSION: Abdominal adenopathy was present in 62% of the patient population, and none of the patients with adenopathy had a known malignancy. Findings associated with end-stage cirrhosis and portal hypertension were seen and included ascites (62%), splenomegaly (71%), portosystemic collaterals (57%), portal vein thrombosis (5%), and hepatocellular carcinoma (5%). The MR imaging periportal halo sign was seen in 43% of patients with primary biliary cirrhosis, but none of the patients in a sex- and age-matched cohort of 21 patients with cirrhosis not caused by primary biliary cirrhosis had the finding. Statistical analysis of these results produced a t score of 3.97 and a p value of less than 0.001, suggesting that this new MR imaging sign is highly specific for the diagnosis of primary biliary cirrhosis.