[Radiology of portal hypertension (author's transl)].

Description of the applications of radiology to portal hypertension, mainly of the 2 most common conditions, the secondary prehepatic block and the intra-hepatic block in cirrhosis of the liver. In prehepatic block the veins in the splanchnic area which will have to be anastomosed to relieve pressure must be shown. This can be done with direct and indirect spleno-portography and by contrasting the proximal and, possibly, the distal mesenteric veins. For intrahepatic postsinusoidal block of cirrhosis of the liver the portal vein and its major contributaries must be shown. In addition, circulation and pressure in the liver and its surroundings have to be elucidated. For this, catheterisation of the umbilical vein and the veins of the liver are suitable. In addition splenoportography and mesentericography have to be used, when transumbilical portohepatography cannot be done.