To determine whether spontaneous a splenorenal shunt can be used as an imaging predictor of early renal hemodynamic changes in patients with cirrhosis.

The study included 82 cirrhotic patients and 41 control subjects. Three-phase CT was performed and CT attenuation values (Hounsfield units) of the renal cortex in three phases were measured to evaluate renal perfusion. Likelihood ratio tests for trend were conducted for age, presence of ascites, and Child's grade.

The mean CT attenuation values of the renal cortex in cirrhotic patients were significantly lower than the values of control subjects in three phases: 153.3 ± 37.9 versus 173.3 ±25.2 in the arterial phase, 172.6 ± 41.0 versus 197.6 ± 26.5 in the portal phase and 136.9 ± 26.0 versus 152.7 ± 20.0 in the delayed phase, respectively. The mean CT attenuation value of cortices in patients with renal hypoperfusion was 119.9 ± 11.8 in the portal phase. Child's class C (aOR: 58.4, 95% CI: 3.6-956.2; p < 0.01) and the presence of a renal shunt (aOR: 7.5, 95% CI: 1.8-30.5; p < 0.01) were associated with renal hypoperfusion. The incidence of renal hypoperfusion was associated with Child's grade (trend: p < 0.01), and not with the grade of ascites or age.

A dilated spontaneous splenorenal shunt may be a risk factor for renal hypoperfusion in cirrhosis.