CLINICAL-APPLICATION OF HEPATIC VENOUS HEMODYNAMICS BY DOPPLER ULTRASONOGRAPHY IN CHRONIC LIVER-DISEASE

The phase differences of the hepatic vein (HV) Doppler waveform might be influenced by fibrosis and steatosis of the liver when using HV Dop pler and pressure curve analysis. Because HV catheterization is invasi ve, we have advocated the noninvasive comparative index (QXs ratio) of the HV Doppler waveform phases recorded simultaneously with electroca rdiography and phgonocardiography. Forty-three controls and 169 patien ts with a variety of liver diseases were enrolled in the study. The me an QXs ratio was 0.75 in the controls, 0.6 in the chronic hepatitis pa tients, 0.45 in the cirrhosis patients, and 0.90 in the fatty liver pa tients. There were significant differences between all pairs of these groups (p < 0.001). The QXs ratio may be used to assess the degree of hepatic fibrosis or steatosis. (C) 1997 World Federation for Ultrasoun d in Medicine & Biology.