THE PORTAL VEIN
👨🏽💻Check out this coronal slice of a CT abdomen - we can see the portal vein being formed at the confluence of the superior mesenteric vein which runs vertically and the splenic vein which you can find running adjacent to the pancreas 👨🏽💻Notice how the three vessels have the configuration of an upside down Mercedes Benz emblem - this is something I always like to look for when reviewing the coronal images of the abdomen. By doing this have picked up thrombosis of each of the vessels. This is particularly important in cases of cirrhosis, upper abdominal malignancy and pancreatitis where thrombus within these vessels is more common 👨🏽💻The portal vein divides at the porta hepatis into right and left branches - remember to follow all the branches on CT to avoid missing a thrombus! The best phase to do this on is a post IV contrast portovenous phase
Source: https://www.instagram.com/p/CqqR1-KMQfp/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=