To determine associations of patterns of portosystemic collaterals and diameters of portal venous system in cirrhotic patients with hepatitis B on magnetic resonance (MR) imaging with Child-Pugh classification.

Eighty-eight consecutive patients with cirrhosis resulting from chronic hepatitis B graded by Child-Pugh classifications were recruited and undergone MR portography. Patterns of the collaterals (presented as no collateral, isolated esophageal varices, and esophageal varices combined with other shunts), and diameters of portal venous system including portal vein (PV), left portal vein (LPV), right portal vein (RPV), splenic vein (SV) and superior mesenteric vein (SMV) were assessed statistically to determine associations of patterns of collaterals and diameters of the portal veins with Child-Pugh classification.

From no collateral, to isolated esophageal varices, and to the varices combined with other shunts, the Child-Pugh classifications tended to increase (r=0.516, P<0.001). Diameters of PV, LPV, RPV, SV and SMV tended to increase from Child-Pugh A to B but decrease from B to C. Differences in diameter of LPV and SV were significant between Child-Pugh A–B and C (all P<0.05) while no differences in diameters of other portal veins were found (all P>0.05). For discriminating Child-Pugh A–B from C, either a cut-off LPV diameter of 8.98mm or SV diameter of 9.10mm achieved a sensitivity of 67%–70%, specificity of 51%–53%.

Patterns of portosystemic collaterals and diameters of LPV and SV tend to be associated with Child-Pugh classifications of cirrhosis.