Conditions our MRI scans have found

The splenic flexure is in the sharp bend between the transverse colon and descending colon in the left upper abdomen. It’s situated next to the spleen. Diverticulosis occurs when small, bulging pouches (diverticula) develop in the colon.

This finding could represent something benign (non-cancerous) or a complex hepatic (liver) cyst, a fluid-containing pocket which usually contains debris, solid components (nodularity), internal walls (septations) and/or thickened walls.

Vascular malformation is a general term to describe when blood vessels and/or lymph vessels have an abnormal appearance or connection because of developmental variation - this is a rare but benign (non-cancerous) finding. One type of vascular malformation is an arteriovenous malformation (AVM), which is when the artery and vein are directly connected, instead of being connected by small capillaries.

The portal vein is the main blood vessel that brings blood to the liver from the gastrointestinal tract, spleen, pancreas, and gallbladder. Right before reaching the liver, the portal vein splits into the left and right portal veins. An enlarged portal vein may occur as a result of portal hypertension (high blood pressure of the liver blood system), which is most often caused by cirrhosis (scarring of the liver) or blockages in the portal vein or veins that carry blood from the liver to the heart.

The liver contains bile ducts which carry bile, a fluid that helps the digestion of fats, into the intestines.  Liver hamartomas are dilated cystic bile ducts. When there are multiple biliary hamartomas present it is known as Von Meyenburg complexes. Von Meyenburg complexes are usually asymptomatic (do not cause symptoms) and benign (non-cancerous).

The porta hepatis is an area on the surface of the liver where major ducts and blood vessels of the liver enter and exit; there are also nerves and lymph nodes in this region. A lymph node is a small bean-shaped structure that is part of the body's immune system. Lymph nodes filter substances that travel through the lymphatic fluid, and they contain lymphocytes (white blood cells) that help the body fight infection and disease. An enlarged lymph node could be due to a current infection, a recent or past infection, inflammation, or another condition.