Abdominal tuberculous lymphadenopathy causing portal hypertension

Abdominal tuberculosis involving the portal vasculature is a rare phenomenon. We retrospectively reviewed the imaging findings of 183 cases of abdominal tuberculosis at our institution from 2002 to 2010 and found thrombosis of the splenoportal axis associated with abdominal lymphadenopathy in seven patients. However, there was no relationship between the lymph nodal size and development of thrombosis. Reversibility was noted in one patient, who had near complete recanalisation of portal vein. Mechanisms, other than direct mass effect on the splenoportal axis, may be involved, like contiguous spread of inflammation or granulomas in the vessel wall. (C) 2010 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.