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Posterior right branch of portal vein

The posterior right branch of the portal vein is the major intrahepatic subdivision of the right portal vein that supplies hepatic segments VI and VII. It represents the deeper, more dorsal division of the right lobe and passes posterolaterally within the hepatic parenchyma.

This branch delivers nutrient-rich portal blood to the posterolateral right hepatic segments and serves as a key anatomical reference in liver surgery, transplant planning, segmental resection, and portal venous mapping.

Synonyms

  • Posterior division of right portal vein

  • Right posterior sectoral branch

  • RPV posterior branch

Origin, Course, and Termination

Origin:

  • Arises from the right portal vein, typically after the right portal vein bifurcates into anterior and posterior sectoral branches.

Course:

  • Courses posterolaterally toward the right hepatic lobe

  • Runs horizontally and slightly posterior within the hepatic parenchyma

  • Lies deeper than the anterior branch and follows the right hepatic fissure

Termination:

  • Divides into segmental branches supplying:

    • Segment VI (posteroinferior right hepatic segment)

    • Segment VII (posterosuperior right hepatic segment)

Relations

  • Anteriorly: Right anterior portal vein branch and right hepatic ductal structures

  • Posteriorly: Posterior hepatic parenchyma toward segment VII

  • Superiorly: Segment VII and right hepatic vein region

  • Inferiorly: Segment VI and posterolateral right hepatic parenchyma

  • Laterally: Liver capsule near posterolateral right margin

  • Medially: Main right portal vein trunk

Branches

  • Segment VI portal branch

  • Segment VII portal branch

  • Small intrahepatic subsegmental branches to posterior right liver parenchyma

Function

  • Supplies oxygen-poor but nutrient-rich blood to hepatic segments VI and VII

  • Supports metabolic, detoxification, and synthetic function of posterior right liver

  • Forms part of the portal venous segmentation crucial in hepatic surgery

  • Contributes to physiologic portal perfusion gradients throughout the right lobe

MRI Appearance

MRV TOF (Time-of-Flight MR Venography):

  • Vessel appears as a bright, high-signal tubular structure due to flow-related enhancement

  • Clearly shows branching pattern into segments VI and VII

  • Flow voids are absent because TOF highlights moving blood

  • Helps delineate anatomy without contrast, especially in preoperative mapping

T1 Fat-Saturated GRE:

  • Lumen appears low signal (dark) due to flowing blood

  • Vessel wall minimally visible as low signal line

  • Surrounding hepatic parenchyma: intermediate signal

  • Fat suppression enhances contrast with periportal fat

T2-weighted images:

  • Flowing blood remains low-signal (flow void)

  • Portal vein wall appears thin and low signal

  • Hepatic parenchyma appears intermediate-to-bright depending on sequence

  • Clear visualization of the branching pattern with surrounding portal triads

Post-Contrast T1 Fat-Sat GRE:

  • Portal lumen becomes brightly and homogeneously enhanced in the portal venous phase

  • Segmental branching into VI and VII becomes sharply defined

  • Enhances best during:

    • Portal venous phase (60–70 sec)

    • Delayed equilibrium phase shows persistent enhancement

  • Fat saturation improves detection of subtle lumen irregularity or narrowing

CT Post-Contrast Appearance

Post-Contrast CT (Portal Venous Phase):

  • Posterior right portal vein appears as a high-attenuation enhancing vessel branching from the right portal vein

  • Enhances uniformly with contrast during portal venous phase

  • Clear delineation of segment VI and VII supply

  • Thin walls, smooth contour, and high contrast-to-liver distinction

  • Multiplanar reconstruction (MPR) demonstrates branching and anatomical variations

Arterial Phase:

  • Vessel less prominent; partial enhancement may be present

  • Best evaluation is during portal and delayed phases

Delayed Phase:

  • Portal vein maintains moderate enhancement relative to hepatic parenchyma

MRI images

Posterior right portal branch CT axial image-img-00000-00000