DIAGNOSIS OF HEPATOPULMONARY SYNDROME WITH CONTRAST TRANSTHORACIC ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY AND HISTOLOGICAL CONFIRMATION

We report a patient with cirrhosis and hepatopulmonary syndrome. This syndrome is an entity characterized by anomalies in the arterial oxyge nation in patients with chronic hepatic disease and/or portal hyperten sion and demonstration of pulmonary vasodilatation (PV) in absence of primary cardiac or pulmonary disease. We show that the finding of PV w ith transthoracic contrast enhanced echocardiography (TCEE) in the dia gnosis of PV is real and corresponds to direct measurement of capillar y diameter by morphometry.