Portal vein computed tomography imaging characteristics and their relationship with bleeding risk in patients with liver cirrhosis undergoing interventional therapy

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to analyze the predictive value of multi-slice spiral computed tomography (CT) perfusion imaging for upper gastrointestinal bleeding in patients with cirrhotic portal hypertension. A total of 62 patients with cirrhotic portal hypertension and 28 healthy individuals were included. The results showed that multi-slice spiral CT perfusion imaging had a significant predictive value for upper gastrointestinal bleeding in patients with cirrhotic portal hypertension. The vascular area, number of vascular cross-sections, and gastric coronary vein diameter (GCVD) showed high predictive values, with the vascular area having the best predictive value. AIM: To investigate the predictive accuracy of multi-slice spiral CT perfusion imaging for upper gastrointestinal bleeding in patients with cirrhosis and portal hypertension. METHODS: This study included 62 patients with cirrhotic portal hypertension (disease group) and 28 healthy individuals (control group). The disease group was further divided into two subgroups: Group A (n = 27, bleeding) and group B (n = 35, no bleeding). All patients underwent multi-slice spiral CT perfusion imaging at our hospital, and we compared various parameters such as liver blood flow, vein size, number of blood vessels, and blood vessel area between the two groups. We employed statistical analysis to identify factors associated with upper gastrointestinal bleeding and created a graph comparing the predictive value of different factors for bleeding. RESULTS: We found no difference in hepatic artery (HAP) levels among the three groups (all P > 0.05). The portal vein levels in groups A and B were much lower than in the control group; group A was much lower than group B (all P < 0.05). The HAP perfusion index levels in groups A and B were much higher than in the control group; group A was much higher than group B (all P < 0.05). The portal vein diameter, splenic vein diameter, and GCVD levels in groups A and B were much higher than in the control group; those in group A were much higher than those in group B (all P < 0.05). The number of blood vessels and blood vessel area in groups A and B were much higher than in the control group; those in group A were much higher than those in group B (all P < 0.05). The statistical method showed a strong link between GCVD, number of blood vessels, blood vessel area, and upper gastrointestinal bleeding (odds ratio = 1.275, 1.346, 1.397, P < 0.05). The graph showed that GCVD, number of blood vessels, and blood vessel area could predict bleeding well, with blood vessel area having the best prediction power. CONCLUSION: That multi-slice spiral CT perfusion imaging can predict upper gastrointestinal bleeding well in patients with cirrhosis and high blood pressure in the portal vein. GCVD, number of blood vessels, and blood vessel area had high prediction power. The blood vessel area had the best prediction power, with an area under the curve of 0.831.