The radiologic diagnosis of spontaneous mesenteric venous thrombosis.

Spontaneous mesenteric venous thrombosis is a distinct clinicopathologic entity that typically presents as abdominal pain of obscure origin. Pathologically, thrombosis of multiple small tributaries of the superior mesenteric vein causes segmental congestion, edema, hemorrhage and ultimately mucosal necrosis. Characteristic radiologic changes were found in 10 of 12 cases.