ABSTRACT

Our purpose is to present upper gastrointestinal system (GIS) contrast radiography, gray scale ultraso-nography (US), colour Doppler US and abdominal computed tomography (CT) findings in a 62-year-old, HCV (+) female patient having gastric varices, with a history of GIS bleeding for several times of whom previous endoscopy revealed polypoid submucosal gastric mass in stomach and surgical resection was planned after endoscopy. In upper GIS contrast radiography series, 4.5 x 3 cm sized poypoid filling defect was detected in cardia-corpus junction of stomach but no esophageal varices could be demonstrated. In US, gastric varices which took the form of a gastric mass composed of anechoic tubular structures protruding into gastric lumen, demonstrating intense color filling and continuous, monophasic venous flow, were observed; portal hypertension findings were obtained. Contrast enhanced abdominal CT demonstrated a lobulated mass in posterosuperior part of stomach and collateral venous structures secondary to portal hypertension in various locations of abdomen. In this case, exact diagnosis of gastric varices was made by radiologic modalities, particularly by colour Doppler US, providing to avoid surgical resection and to prevent catastrophic bleeding.