CO2 splenoportography for evaluating the splenic and portal veins before or after liver transplantation.

The authors report their experience with CO(2) splenoportography in a retrospective review of 15 studies performed in 13 patients before or after liver transplantation. The studies were performed by injecting CO(2) through a small caliber needle introduced into the splenic parenchyma with ultrasound guidance and imaging with conventional digital subtraction techniques. The findings were compared with clinical follow-up and other imaging studies when available. Eight of the 15 studies were normal, of which two were confirmed by additional studies. Six of the 15 studies were abnormal, all of which were compared with additional studies. There was one nondiagnostic study and two false positives. There were no reported complications. The authors' experience suggests that CO(2) splenoportography is a minimally invasive method for safely and accurately evaluating the splenic and portal veins.