Portal Vein Diameter on Routine Clinical CT: Establishing Normals and Disease Associations

Key Points

• Mean portal vein diameter was calculated at 12.4 mm, showing variability based on multiple factors such as BMI and sex.
• Each 1-mm increase in portal vein diameter linked to increased odds of prevalent liver disease with an odds ratio of 1.06.
• Larger diameter also predicts a higher risk of esophageal varices and ascites among those with liver disease, independent of other factors.
• The findings support the need for routine monitoring of portal vein diameter during clinical assessments, indicating possible liver complications.