Abstract
Flattening of the infrahepatic inferior vena cava (IVC) on postcontrast computed tomographic (CT) scans has been reported as a sign of severe hypovolemia. The significance of this finding on unenhanced CT scans, however, has not been reported. We retro-spectively studied 60 consecutive outpatient abdominal CT scans in which both unenhanced and postcontrast sequences were performed. Flattening of the infrahepatic IVC on unenhanced CT images was noted in six patients (10%) without evidence of hypovolemia or extrinsic IVC compression. The degree of IVC fullness increased in 43 study patients overall (72%) after contrast administration. We propose several mechanisms for postcontrast IVC distention and conclude that a flattened infrahepatic IVC on unenhanced CT scans does not indicate hypovolemia in the absence of other suggestive clinical or CT findings.
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Wachsberg, R.H., Levine, C.D. & Baker, S.R. Flattened inferior vena cava: A normal finding on unenhanced abdominal computed tomographic scan. Emergency Radiology 3, 16–19 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01508160
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01508160