Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine, Vol 11, Issue 7 327-331, Copyright © 1992 by American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine
A comparison of duplex Doppler sonography of the ligamentum teres and portal vein with endoscopic demonstration of gastroesophageal varices in patients with chronic liver disease or portal hypertension, or both
P. R. Gibson, R. N. Gibson, M. R. Ditchfield and J. D. Donlan
Department of Medicine, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Victoria, Australia.
The ability of duplex Doppler sonography of the ligamentum teres and portal
vein to detect specific signs of portal hypertension was compared with the
ability of endoscopy to demonstrate gastroesophageal varices in consecutive
patients. Among 90 patients with parenchymal liver disease and a high
probability of portal hypertension, 70 had varices, 72 had specific
sonographic signs, and four had neither. Ultrasonography was comparable to
endoscopy irrespective of the clinical severity of the underlying liver
disease. Eleven patients had vascular occlusive diseases; nine had varices;
and all had at least one sonographic sign. Duplex Doppler ultrasonography
may have a clinical role in noninvasive detection of portal hypertension.
Further studies correlating the findings with those of portal pressure are
needed to define the place of duplex Doppler ultrasonography as a predictor
of the presence of portal hypertension.
