[1] An equivalent clot in the vasculature that exits the liver carrying deoxygenated blood to the right atrium via the inferior vena cava, is known as hepatic vein thrombosis or Budd-Chiari syndrome.
[2] Portal vein thrombosis causes upper abdominal pain, possibly accompanied by nausea and an enlarged liver and/or spleen; the abdomen may be filled with fluid (ascites).
[1] While abdominal pain may come and go if the thrombus forms suddenly, long-standing clot build-up can also develop without causing symptoms, leading to portal hypertension before it is diagnosed.
[citation needed] Alternatively, the portal vein may be injured as a result of pancreatitis, diverticulitis, cholangiocarcinoma, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), or abdominal surgery/trauma.
[3] Red flags for cancerous growth as a cause are elevated alpha fetoprotein levels, portal vein diameter greater than 2.3 cm, pulsatility on Doppler ultrasound imaging, or hyperintense hepatic arterial phase (HAP) on CT scan with contrast.
[8] Determination of condition severity may be derived via computed tomography (CT) with contrast, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), or MR angiography (MRA).
Those with chronic PVT may undergo upper endoscopy (esophagogastroduodenoscopy, EGD) to evaluate the presence of concurrent dilated veins (varices) in the stomach or esophagus.