D M Warshauer1, J K Lee, M A Mauro, G C White. 1. Department of Radiology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Campus Box 7510, Old Clinic Bldg., Manning Dr., Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7510, USA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to examine the clinical presentation, imaging appearance, etiology, and clinical outcome in patients who had acute thrombosis of the superior mesenteric vein with radiologically occult cause. CONCLUSION: The most common predisposing factors in superior mesenteric vein thrombosis with radiologically occult cause are recent abdominal surgery, infection, and hypercoagulable states. Although no correlation was noted between risk factor and outcome, the presence of bowel wall thickening and mesenteric congestion on CT or MR imaging was associated with the development of bowel ischemia. Prognosis is good in this group of patients, with a mortality of only 7%, although bowel ischemia was noted in 21%.
OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to examine the clinical presentation, imaging appearance, etiology, and clinical outcome in patients who had acute thrombosis of the superior mesenteric vein with radiologically occult cause. CONCLUSION: The most common predisposing factors in superior mesenteric vein thrombosis with radiologically occult cause are recent abdominal surgery, infection, and hypercoagulable states. Although no correlation was noted between risk factor and outcome, the presence of bowel wall thickening and mesenteric congestion on CT or MR imaging was associated with the development of bowel ischemia. Prognosis is good in this group of patients, with a mortality of only 7%, although bowel ischemia was noted in 21%.