All about portal vein: a pictorial display to anatomy, variants and physiopathology

Abstract

The portal vein (PV) is the main vessel of the portal venous system (PVS), which drains the blood from the gastrointestinal tract, gallbladder, pancreas, and spleen to the liver. There are several variants affecting the PV, and quite a number of congenital and acquired pathologies. In this pictorial review, we assess the embryological development and normal anatomy of the PVS, displaying selected cases consisting of normal variants, congenital anomalies, and a large and heterogeneous group of acquired conditions that may affect the PV.