Phase contrast magnetic resonance imaging for diagnosis of inferior vena cava obstruction in Budd-Chiari syndrome

Motivation: It is critical to determine whether the inferior vena cava (IVC) is occluded in Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS) patients before interventional treatment. Magnetic resonance venography (MRV) has high sensitivity, but the specificity needs to be further improved. Goal(s): This prospective study aims to compare the accuracy of IVC occlusion assessment using phase contrast MRI (PC-MRI) and MRV. Approach: The Kappa coefficient test was used to evaluate the agreement, using digital subtraction angiography (DSA) as the gold standard. Results: Intergroup agreement was excellent between PC-MR and DSA (κ=0.904), which was higher than that between MRV and DSA (κ=0.716). Impact: Our results suggest that PC-MR is a more accurate method for assessing IVC obstruction. However, reproducibility tests still need to be performed. In addition, the hepatic vein was not evaluated, which could be investigated in future studies.