[Clinical significance of CT in evaluation of the gastrocolic trunk and its tributaries].

The gastrocolic trunk (GT), consists of the veins from stomach, duodenum, pancreas and colon, passes transversely in front of the head of the pancreas and drains to the superior mesenteric vein at the lebel of the uncus. Pancreatic and/or portal venous pathology may cause dilatation or occlusion of the GT. The purpose of this study is to clarify the usefulness of X-ray computed tomography (CT) for evaluation of the GT and its tributaries in the diagnosis of pancreatic disease. The CT examinations of 176 patients (97 with pancreatic disease, 79 without pancreatic or liver disease for comparison) were reviewed retrospectively. In the comparison group, a normal GT was identified in 81% of CT scans with 5mm thick sections. Abnormal findings of the GT and its tributaries were seen in 30 cases with the involvement(occlusion or stenosis) of the portal venous system in the group of pancreatic diseases. The GTs were occluded in 17 cases with involvement of GT or SMV and dilated in 5 cases with involvement of the portal vein, SMV, or splenic vein by pancreatic diseases. In 3 cases, GTs were minimally dilated without abnormality of the portal venous system. The right gastroepiploic veins were dilated in 15 cases with splenic vein obstruction (5 patients), GT obstruction (6), SMV stenosis (3), stenosis of main portal vein (1). Assessment of the GT and its tributaries on CT would be useful for evaluation of the extension of the pancreatic disease.