Magnetic Resonance Angiography for Monitoring Prophylactic Endoscopic Treatment of High Risk Esophageal Varices

Background and Study Aims: Endoscopic injection sclerotherapy (EIS) and endoscopic variceal ligation (EVL) are used worldwide as the treatment for esophageal varices. We evaluated portal hemodynamics using magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) in these two forms of treatment.

Patients and Methods: The study was carried out in 50 cirrhotic patients. MRA was performed to identify the hepatofugal supply vein selectively for esophageal varices. Those who showed a positive MR angiogram for the supply vein were randomly allocated to one of two groups, using the sealed envelope method, and underwent either EIS or EVL. On the other hand, those with a negative angiogram received only EVL. EIS was done to embolize esophageal varices as well as their feeders by intravariceal injection of sclerosant under fluoroscopic guidance.

Results: A positive MR angiogram of the hepatofugal left gastric vein as the supply vein was observed in 41 patients. Nine patients showed negative MRA results. Among those with positive angiograms, the rate of eradication of the left gastric vein was higher in the EIS-treated group than in the EVL treated group (50 % vs. 8.6 %). After either treatment, the recurrence-free rate for high risk esophageal varices was higher in patients with complete eradication of the left gastric vein than in those without (88 % vs. 35 %). In patients with negative angiogram results, who only underwent EVL, high risk esophageal varices did not reappear over a long period.

Conclusion: MRA is useful for evaluating portal hemodynamics. With the aim of avoiding recurrence of esophageal varices, EIS was suitable for patients who had a hepatofugal supply vein for the varices because recurrence could be prevented by embolization of the supply vein. EVL may be expected to be efficacious in patients where no image of a hepatofugal supply vein is found on MRA.

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