Evaluation of dangerous collateral vessels and thrombus in Budd-Chiari syndrome patients with inferior vena cava obstruction

Purpose To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of preoperative imaging in defining inferior vena cava (IVC) obstruction characteristics, in identifying the presence of a thrombus and dangerous venous collateral. The other goal is to explore the clinical implication of these data in the designing the treatment strategy in Budd-Chiari patients. Methods This study included 112 patients with IVC obstruction who underwent endovascular treatment between July 2009 and June 2019. Two radiologists independently assessed MSCT and/or MRI imaging data with a 5-point scale to evaluate the diagnostic accuracies relating to obstructive characteristics, dangerous collateral vessels, and thrombus within IVC. Results The diagnostic sensitivities for obstructive characteristics, as determined by the two independent assessors, ranged from 81.25 to 100%. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) for judging thrombus ranged from 0.87 to 0.975 for the two assessors. Inter-assessor agreement was substantial or excellent with regards to diagnostic accuracy ( κ = 0.745–0.927). Twelve cases involving dangerous collateral vessels were identified in the MSCT group of 82 patients ( κ = 1); six were identified by digital subtraction venography (DSV) imaging. Eight cases involving dangerous collateral vessels were reported in the MRI group of 32 patients ( κ = 1); three were identified by DSV imaging. Conclusion Preoperative MSCT and MRI can accurately reveal the obstructive characteristics and risk factors of patients with IVC obstruction and can therefore be used to guide interventional planning so as to minimize complications. Graphical abstract