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Fissure for ligamentum venosum

The fissure for the ligamentum venosum is a shallow groove on the visceral surface of the liver, located between the caudate lobe (posteriorly) and the left lobe of the liver (anteriorly). It extends from the porta hepatis inferiorly toward the groove for the inferior vena cava superiorly.

It contains the ligamentum venosum, a fibrous remnant of the ductus venosus of the fetal circulation, which connected the left branch of the portal vein to the inferior vena cava, allowing oxygenated blood from the placenta to bypass the liver. After birth, the ductus venosus closes and becomes the ligamentum venosum.

Anatomically, the fissure for the ligamentum venosum is an important surgical and radiological landmark, helping define the boundary between the left and caudate lobes of the liver. It is also relevant in hepatic resections, transplantation, and segmental anatomy classification.

Synonyms

  • Ligamentum venosum fissure

  • Hepatic fissure for ductus venosus

  • Left sagittal fossa (posterior part)

Function

  • Serves as an anatomical landmark separating caudate and left lobes

  • Contains the ligamentum venosum, a remnant of fetal circulation

  • Guides surgeons in hepatic resections and transplant surgery

  • Important reference in Couinaud’s liver segmental anatomy

MRI Appearance

T1-weighted images:

  • Fissure appears as a linear low signal intensity groove on visceral liver surface

  • Ligamentum venosum itself is hypointense fibrous tissue

T2-weighted images:

  • The ligamentum venosum itself is a very low–signal (dark) linear fibrous band.

  • On non–fat-suppressed T2, the groove may look relatively brighter because of adjacent/periligament fat.

STIR:

  • Suppresses fat, enhancing contrast between fissure and surrounding hepatic tissue

  • May highlight adjacent edema or pathology if present

T1 Fat-Saturated (Pre-contrast):

  • Ligamentum venosum appears hypointense against suppressed background fat

  • Groove remains clearly demarcated

T1 Fat-Saturated Post-Contrast (Gadolinium):

  • No direct enhancement of ligamentum venosum (fibrous tissue)

  • Adjacent hepatic parenchyma enhances, further outlining the fissure

  • Helpful for differentiating fissure from pathological hypointense bands

MRI 3D Reconstructions:

  • Useful in preoperative mapping of Couinaud segments and caudate lobe relations

CT Appearance

CT Pre-Contrast:

  • Appears as a linear hypodense groove between caudate and left lobes

  • Ligamentum venosum itself shows fibrous tissue attenuation

CT Post-Contrast:

  • Fibrous ligament does not enhance

  • Adjacent enhancing liver parenchyma makes fissure more conspicuous

  • Provides a clear landmark for lobar segmentation in hepatic surgery and imaging

MRI image

Fissure for ligamentum venosum CT axial image

MRI image

Fissure for ligamentum venosum MRI axial anatomy image -img-00000-00000