ISOLATED GASTRIC VARICES - ULTRASOUND DETECTION

Isolated gastric varices (IGV) (resulting from varying etiologies) wer e diagnosed in six patients using ultrasound examination of the wall o f the fluid-filled stomach. Small gastric varices are seen as circular or linear anechoic channels within the gastric wall without a signifi cant intraluminal projection. Large varices are seen as anechoic, lobu lated ''bulging masses'' projecting into the fluid-filled lumen of the stomach. Doppler technique assists in confirming the vascular nature of these lesions and thus avoids confusion with other hypoanechoic les ions of the gastric wall. The technique is simple, noninvasive, and ex tremely useful in diagnosing IGV in patients investigated for recurren t undiagnosed gastrointestinal bleeding.