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The portal system of 45 normal patients have been retrospectively studied on spin echo MRI sequences (interleaved cuts): multiple artifacts have been evaluated and 24 % of them were visualized at the portal system level. Thus, partial volume effect responsible for almost 25 % of the artifacts is not always easily seen on a single sequence. Respiratory and aortic artifacts can deteriorate the visualization of the vascular lumen but cannot be confused with a thrombosis. Well-known artifacts, as slice entry phenomenon and even echo rephasing, represent more than 60 % of the artifacts: they are readily recognized when they are typical and indicate flowing blood. On the contrary, another artifact, representing less than 5 % of the total and seen at the level of the left portal vein, simulates a thrombus, on T2 weighted images. We conclude that the frequency and polymorphism of the artifacts are limiting factors of MRI value in the diagnosis of portal vein thrombosis.