Articles
Articles are a collaborative effort to provide a single canonical page on all topics relevant to the practice of radiology. As such, articles are written and continuously improved upon by countless contributing members. Our dedicated editors oversee each edit for accuracy and style. Find out more about articles.
More than 200 results
Article
Amylase
Amylase is widely employed as a marker of acute pancreatitis and a significant elevation is diagnostic.
Physiology
α-amylase is a digestive enzyme that is predominantly secreted by the acinar cells of the exocrine pancreas. It is also secreted by the salivary glands. Pancreatic amylase is enco...
Article
Spontaneous splenorenal shunt
A spontaneous splenorenal shunt (or simply splenorenal shunt) refers to an abnormal collateral portosystemic communication between the splenic vein and the left renal vein. It is one of the features of portal hypertension.
See also
portosystemic shunts
surgical splenorenal shunt
Article
Pancreatic metastases
Pancreatic metastases are uncommon and are only found in a minority (3-12%) of patients with widespread metastatic disease at autopsy. They account for only 2-5% of all pancreatic malignancies.
Epidemiology
Demographics will match those of the primary tumor, but in general, will be in elderly ...
Article
Cullen sign
Cullen sign refers to superficial edema visible as periumbilical discolouration and is most commonly seen in patients with acute pancreatitis 1-3.
Clinical presentation
Clinically patients with pancreatitis present with epigastric pain that radiates to the umbilical/periumbilical region and th...
Article
Sonographic Murphy sign
Sonographic Murphy sign is defined as maximal abdominal tenderness from the pressure of the ultrasound probe over the visualized gallbladder 1,2. It is a sign of local inflammation around the gallbladder along with right upper quadrant pain, tenderness, and/or a mass 2.
It is one of the most im...
Article
Stauffer syndrome
Stauffer syndrome is paraneoplastic nephrogenic hepatomegaly. It most commonly occurs in the setting of renal cell carcinoma, and is the enlargement of the liver without hepatic metastases. It is a cause of cholestasis and cholestatic jaundice.
History and etymology
It is named after Maurice ...
Article
Portosystemic collateral pathways
Portosystemic collateral pathways, also called spontaneous portosystemic shunts or varices, develop spontaneously via dilatation of pre-existing anastomoses between the portal and systemic venous systems. This facilitates shunting of blood away from the liver into the systemic venous system...
Article
Pylephlebitis
Pylephlebitis, also known as ascending septic thrombophlebitis, is a thrombotic occlusion of the portal vein or its branches secondary to infection in regions that drain to the portal venous system.
Clinical presentation
Clinical presentation is often vague. Patients may initially present with...
Article
Hyperattenuating gallbladder (differential)
A hyperattenuating gallbladder may occur from a number of different etiologies:
sludge in the gallbladder
vicarious excretion of intravenous contrast (iodinated contrast or gadolinium contrast)
hyperconcentrated bile
noncalcified gallstones
medications I.e ceftriaxone associated gallbladder...
Article
Falciform ligament
The falciform ligament is a broad and thin peritoneal ligament. It is sickle-shaped and a remnant of the ventral mesentery of the fetus.
Gross anatomy
The falciform ligament is situated in an anteroposterior plane but lies obliquely so that one surface faces forward and is in contact with the ...
Article
Hepatic siderotic nodules
Hepatic siderotic nodules are a type of regenerative nodule formed in a cirrhotic liver. They occur in hepatic hemosiderosis. The nodules have an increased iron content compared with other regenerative nodules. They may be non-dysplastic or dysplastic.
Pathology
The reason why these nodules co...
Article
Hypertriglyceridemia-induced pancreatitis
Hypertriglyceridemia-induced pancreatitis is an uncommon form of acute pancreatitis caused by high levels of circulating triglycerides in the blood.
Epidemiology
Hypertriglyceridemia-induced pancreatitis accounts for around 1-4% of cases of acute pancreatitis and is the third most common cause...
Article
Cyst
A cyst is an abnormal fluid-filled structure which is lined by epithelium; with one exception: lung cysts may contain gas or fluid. By contradistinction, a pseudocyst lacks an epithelial lining and instead has a vascular and fibrotic capsule.
Cysts are extremely common and found in most organs....
Article
Multifocal hepatic steatosis
Multifocal hepatic steatosis (also known as multifocal nodular hepatic steatosis) is the uncommon finding of multiple foci of focal fat in the liver mimicking - and at times being confused with - hepatic metastases.
Epidemiology
Risk factors
Conditions that increase one's risk of developing m...
Article
Aflatoxins
Aflatoxins are naturally-occurring mycotoxins that are produced by Aspergillus species, especially Aspergillus flavus. They are acutely toxic and carcinogenic.
Acute exposure
High-level aflatoxin exposure can result in acute aflatoxicosis with acute hepatic necrosis, leading to cirrhosis, and ...
Article
Exclamation mark sign (limy bile)
The exclamation mark sign is a pathognomonic imaging sign of the rare diagnosis of limy bile on plain abdominal radiography. It occurs when there is both limy bile and a gallstone in the common bile duct. The linear vertical radiopaque bile forms the line of the exclamation mark (i.e. !), whilst...
Article
Hepatosplenomegaly
Hepatosplenomegaly is simply the simultaneous presence of a pathologically-enlarged liver (hepatomegaly) and spleen (splenomegaly).
Pathology
Etiology
Infection
Many infections can produce a mild concurrent enlargement of the liver and spleen. This list is by no means exhaustive.
viral
EBV...
Article
Strawberry gallbladder
Strawberry gallbladder refers to the surface appearance (not shape) of the mucosa of the gallbladder due to multiple small collections of triglycerides and cholesterol esters within the lamina propria of the gallbladder wall (gallbladder wall cholesterolosis).
Strawberry gallbladder represents...
Article
Primary effusion lymphoma
Primary effusion lymphoma is a rare form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (diffuse large B-cell lymphoma) characterized by malignant fluid accumulation in the absence of lymphadenopathy.
Epidemiology
Associations
immunodeficiency states such as acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)
infections inc...
Article
Celiac artery
The celiac artery, also known as the celiac axis or celiac trunk, is a major splanchnic artery in the abdominal cavity supplying the foregut. It arises from the abdominal aorta and commonly gives rise to three branches: left gastric artery, splenic artery, and common hepatic artery.
Gross anat...
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