Evaluations of non-contrast enhanced MR venography with inflow inversion recovery sequence in diagnosing Budd-Chiari syndrome

Non-contrast-enhanced (NCE) inflow inversion recovery magnetic resonance venography (MRV)and digital subtraction angiography (DSA) examination were carried out in 35 patients who were suspected of having Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS). With DSA as the reference, NCE MRV got 100% in the diagnostic sensitivity, 67.8% in the specificity, 97.1% in the accuracy, 100% in the negative predictive value, and 96.9% in the positive predictive value. The consistency between NCE MRV and DSA in the depiction of IVC was excellent. NCE MRV is regarded as an alternative method in the diagnosis of BCS.