Hepatoportography via the umbilical vein: a superior approach to diagnosis in liver disease.

The umbilical vein in adults is patent but collapsed. There is a membranous valve at its entrance into the left portal vein. Cannulation of the portal vein via the umbilical vein permits direct access to the portal system for portography and hepatography. This procedure was performed under local or general anesthesia in 30 patients and was successful in 22. It is useful in the investigation of patients with portal hypertension, and suspected intrahepatic tumours or abscesses. It gives excellent contrast visualization of the liver and definition of lesions as small as 1.0 cm. This technique is superior to both hepatic scanning and splenoportography.