Comparison of Doppler Ultrasonography and Hepatic Venous Pressure Gradient
in Assessing Portal Hypertension in Liver Cirrhosis

Korean J Hepatol > Volume 8(3); 2002 > Article

The Korean Journal of Hepatology 2002;8(3): 264-270.

원저 : 간경변 환자의 문맥압 항진증을 평가하는데 있어 도플러 초음파 검사와 간정맥 압력차 측정의 비교 ( Original Articles : Comparison of Doppler Ultrasonography and Hepatic Venous Pressure Gradient )

Comparison of Doppler Ultrasonography and Hepatic Venous Pressure Gradient in Assessing Portal Hypertension in Liver Cirrhosis

Phil Ho Jeong, M.D., Soon Koo Baik, M.D., Yeun Jong Choi, M.D., Dong Hoon Park, M.D., Moon Young Kim, M.D., Hyun Soo Kim, M.D., Dong Ki Lee, M.D., Sang Ok Kwon, M.D., Young Ju Kim, M.D.＊, Joong Wha Park, M.D.＊, and Nam Dong Kim, M.D.†

Departments of Internal Medicine and Radiology*, Yonsei University, Wonju College of Medicine, Dr. Kim's Internal Medicine Clinic†,Wonju, Korea

ABSTRACT

Background/Aims
This prospective study aimed to determine if Doppler ultrasonography can be representative of hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG) in assessing the severity of portal hypertension and response to drug reducing portal pressure. Methods: The HVPG and the parameters of Doppler ultrasonography including portal venous velocity (PVV) and splenic venous velocity, the pulsatility and resistive index of hepatic, splenic and renal arteries were measured in 105 patients with liver cirrhosis. In 31 patients the changes of hepatic venous pressure gradient and portal venous velocity after administration of terlipressin were evaluated. The patients who showed a reduction in HVPG of more than 20% of the baseline were defined as responders to terlipressin. Results: Any Doppler ultrasonographc parameters did not correlate with HVPG. Both HVPG and PVV showed a highly significant reduction after the administration of terlipressin(-28.3± 3.9%, -31.2± 2.2% respectively). However, PVV decreased significantly not only in responders(31.7± 2.4%) but also in nonresponders(29.5± 6.1%). Conclusion: Doppler ultrasonography can not be representative of HVPG in assessing the severity of portal hypertension and response to drug reducing portal pressure in liver cirrhosis. (Korean J Hepatol 2002;8:264-270)

KeyWords: Liver cirrhosis, Portal hypertension, Doppler ultrasonography, Hepatic venous pressure gradient