MR angiography of esophageal mural veins in portal hypertension: a correlation with endoscopic grades of esophageal varices

Background/aims: The esophageal mural veins are important for providing blood to the esophageal submucosal varices. The purpose of this study was to investigate any correlation between the diameters of esophageal mural veins as observed on routine contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography and the endoscopic grades of esophageal varices in patients with portal hypertension. Methods: The images of 57 patients with portal hypertension in whom magnetic resonance portography was performed were evaluated retrospectively. The correlation between the diameter of the esophageal mural veins and the endoscopic grade of the esophageal varices was investigated with Spearman's correlation test. This test was also used to assess the correlation between the grade of esophageal varices and the diameters of the paraesophageal veins. A p value less than 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. Results: A positive correlation was determined between the diameter of mural veins and the endoscopic grade of the esophageal varices (p=0.022; r=0.363). There was no correlation, however, between the endoscopic grade of the esophageal varices and the diameter of the paraesophageal veins. Conclusions: A correlation exists between the diameters of the esophageal mural veins and the endoscopic grades of the esophageal varices. Magnetic resonance angiography may give information about the status of the esophageal varices in portal hypertensive patients.