Computed tomography of acute heart failure: A novel case and literature review

Computed tomography (CT) is used in patients whose conditions span the gamut from healthy to critically ill. In the specific subset of patients with cardiac arrest or imminent cardiac failure who receive contrast-enhanced CT, extant literature illustrates a set of imaging findings that include inferior vena cava and hepatic parenchymal contrast reflux, pooling, and layering in a dependent fashion. We review the literature and present a case in which these findings are demonstrated along with renal venointerstitial reflux, a finding that has not been previously described.