Portal Hypertension Evaluation by Doppler Ultrasound

Abstract

In portal hypertension there is an increased hydrostatic pressure within the portal vein. Actual direct measurement of portal pressures is an invasive technique while Doppler ultrasound is a non-invasive, relatively cheap and easily acssessible imaging modality that helps in making the diagnosis of clinically significant portal hypertension. It also provides useful information as to it's cause and presence of complications. The present study was carried out to study the usefulness of PortoSplenicHepatic Doppler in Portal hypertension. 70 cases of clinically proven or suspected cases of portal hypertension were assessed with Doppler ultrasound. Retrospective review of the findings was done to assess the status of Portal vein, splenic vein and hepatic veins for calibre, presence or absence of blood flow, direction of flow, velocity and phascicity. Presence of portosystemic collaterals was looked for. Portal vein diameter was consistently enlarged in 67 (95%)cases. Flow velocities were found to be below 10 cm/sec in majority of the cases. Portosystemic collaterals were noted in 20 (30%) patients. Color Doppler ultrasound is a noninvasive diagnostic tool. It was found to provide important information on the heamodynamic alterations in porto-hepatic venous system in all the patients.