Radionuclide inferior venocavagraphy in Budd-Chiari syndrome before and after angioplasty

The authors discuss a series of radionuclide inferior venocavography (RIVC) studies that were performed on a 57-year-old man who had Budd-Chiari syndrome before and after balloon angioplasty. The RIVC showed IVC obstruction with collateral circulations. The day after successful angioplasty, RIVC showed the temporary coexistence of IVC and the collateral circulation. The latter was unexpected. Two weeks later, a repeat RWC showed a normal IVC without collateral circulation, including azygos and hemiazygos veins. The temporary coexistence of the patent IVC and collateral circulation after angioplasty should be interpreted carefully as only a transient phenomenon.