Health Dictionary

Overview

Portal vein thrombosis must be differentiated from other diseases that cause abdominal pain, diarrhea, and nausea and vomiting, such as: Chronic pancreatitis, Pancreatic carcinoma, Dumping syndrome, Acute appendicitis, acute diverticulitis, Infective colitis, viral hepatitis, Liver abscess, Mesenteric ischemia, and Acute ischemic colitis.

Differentiating portal vein thrombosis from other Diseases

Portal vein thrombosis must be differentiated from other diseases that cause abdominal pain, diarrhea, and nausea and vomiting, such as: Chronic pancreatitis, Pancreatic carcinoma, Dumping syndrome, Acute appendicitis, acute diverticulitis, Infective colitis, viral hepatitis, Liver abscess, Mesenteric ischemia, and Acute ischemic colitis.

	Abdominal Pain	Fever	Rigors and chills	Nausea or vomiting	Jaundice	Constipation	Diarrhea	Weight loss	GI bleeding	Hypo- tension	Guarding	Rebound Tenderness	Bowel sounds	Lab Findings	Imaging
Disease	Clinical manifestations													Diagnosis		Comments
	Symptoms									Signs				Diagnosis
Portal vein thrombosis	Diffuse	±	−	+	±	−	+	+	±	−	−	−	N	Usually normal	CT MRI US MRA CEUS
Chronic pancreatitis	Epigastric	−	−	±	±	−	+	+	−	−	−	−	N	Increased amylase / lipase Increased stool fat content Pancreatic function test	CT scan Calcification Pseudocyst Dilation of main pancreatic duct	Predisposes to pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic carcinoma	Epigastric	−	−	+	+	−	+	+	−	−	−	−	N	↑ Alkaline phosphatase ↑ serum bilirubin ↑ gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase ↑ CA 19-9	MDCT with PET/CT MRI	Skin manifestations may include: Bullous pemphigoid Cicatricial pemphigoid Migratory superficial thrombophlebitis (classic Trousseau’s syndrome) Pancreatic panniculitis
Dumping syndrome	Lower and then diffuse	−	−	+	−	−	+	+	−	+	−	−	Hyperactive	Glucose challenge test Hydrogen breath test	Upper GI series Gastric emptying study	Postgastrectomy
Disease	Abdominal Pain	Fever	Rigors and chills	Nausea or vomiting	Jaundice	Constipation	Diarrhea	Weight loss	GI bleeding	Hypo- tension	Guarding	Rebound Tenderness	Bowel sounds	Lab Findings	Imaging	Comments
Acute appendicitis	Starts in epigastrium, migrates to RLQ	+	Positive in pyogenic appendicitis	+	−	−	±	−	−	Positive in perforated appendicitis	+	+	Hypoactive	Leukocytosis	Ct scan Ultrasound	Positive Rovsing sign Positive Obturator sign Positive Iliopsoas sign
Acute diverticulitis	LLQ	+	±	+	−	+	±	−	+	Positive in perforated diverticulitis	+	+	Hypoactive	Leukocytosis	CT scan Ultrasound	History of constipation
Infective colitis	Diffuse	+	−	±	−	−	+	−	+	Positive in fulminant colitis	±	±	Hyperactive	Stool culture and studies Shiga toxin in bloody diarrhea PCR	CT scan Bowel wall thickening Edema
Viral hepatitis	RUQ	+	−	+	+	−	Positive in Hep A and E	+	−	Positive in fulminant hepatitis	Positive in acute	+	N	Abnormal LFTs Viral serology	US	Hep A and E have fecal-oral route of transmission Hep B and C transmits via blood transfusion and sexual contact.
Liver abscess	RUQ	+	+	+	+	−	±	+	−	+	+	±	Normal or hypoactive	CBC Blood cultures Abnormal liver function tests	US CT
Mesenteric ischemia	Periumbilical	Positive if bowel becomes gangrenous	−	+	−	−	+	+	+	Positive if bowel becomes gangrenous	Positive if bowel becomes gangrenous	−	Hyperactive to absent	Leukocytosis and lactic acidosis Amylase levels D-dimer	CT angiography SMA or SMV thrombosis	Also known as abdominal angina that worsens with eating
Acute ischemic colitis	Diffuse	+	±	+	−	−	+	+	+	+	+	+	Hyperactive then absent	Leukocytosis	Abdominal x-ray Distension and pneumatosis CT scan Double halo appearance, thumbprinting Thickening of bowel	May lead to shock
Pneumonia	RUQ/LUQ	+	+	+	−	−	±	−	−	+	−	−	Normal or hypoactive	ABGs Leukocytosis Pancytopenia	CXR CT chest Bronchoscopy	Shortness of breath Cough

Abbreviations: RUQ= Right upper quadrant of the abdomen, LUQ= Left upper quadrant, LLQ= Left lower quadrant, RLQ= Right lower quadrant, LFT= Liver function test, SIRS= Systemic inflammatory response syndrome, ERCP= Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, IV= Intravenous, N= Normal, AMA= Anti mitochondrial antibodies, LDH= Lactate dehydrogenase, GI= Gastrointestinal, CXR= Chest X ray, IgA= Immunoglobulin A, IgG= Immunoglobulin G, IgM= Immunoglobulin M, CT= Computed tomography, PMN= Polymorphonuclear cells, ESR= Erythrocyte sedimentation rate, CRP= C-reactive protein, TS= Transferrin saturation, SF= Serum Ferritin, SMA= Superior mesenteric artery, SMV= Superior mesenteric vein, ECG= Electrocardiogram, MRA= MR angiography, CEUS=Contrast enhanced ultrasound

References

Health Dictionary

Portal vein thrombosis differential diagnosis

Introduction

Overview

Differentiating portal vein thrombosis from other Diseases

References