Vascular radiology in liver disease.

Vascular radiology of the liver has increased in scope and function in recent years due mainly to the application of new techniques. It is now possible to examine not only the inferior vena cava and the portal venous system, but also the hepatic veins and the coeliac axis and superior mesenteric artery. Hepatic vein occlusion, portal vein patency and collateral veins, as well as space-occupying lesions, can now be diagnosed with a fair degree of accuracy. These techniques have also helped in the understanding of the altered haemodynamics of portal hypertension and can be used for treatment by intra-arterial perfusion of chemotherapeutic substances.