Hepatic echo patterns and "right lobe to left lobe longitudinal diameter ratio" were compared in age- and sex-matched 100 normal subjects and 76 patients with diffuse liver diseases (38 cirrhotics and 38 noncirrhotics) in a prospective sonographic study. Various echo patterns, assigned to cirrhotic livers (bright liver, micronodulation, beam attenuation), could not differentiate cirrhosis from other diffuse liver diseases. In cirrhotic livers, the right lobe manifested a significant shrinkage, while the left lobe exhibited almost no alteration. Considering the right to left lobe ratio of 1.30 as a discriminatory value, the cirrhosis could be diagnosed with a sensitivity of 74%, a specificity of 100%, and an accuracy of 93%; the sensitivity rates were seen to be higher in postnecrotic cirrhosis than in alcoholic cirrhosis.
In a prospective ultrasound study, the various factors possibly influencing the portal vasculature were evaluated in normal subjects; the correlation of portal diameters with physical factors such as age, sex, and body texture was poor, whereas the caliber variation was significant with respiration, posture, and meal. Considering the fasting state, supine decubitus, and deep inspiration as suitable and standard variables, the diameters were compared in 100 healthy subjects and 50 patients with portal hypertension. The upper normal limits of portal, splenic, and superior mesenteric vein diameters were reported as 16, 12, and 11 mm, respectively, and the dimensions above these values provided an overall sensitivity of 72%, an accuracy of 91%, and a specificity of 100% in diagnosing the patients with suspected portal hypertension.
A prospective sonographic study was undertaken in age- and sex-matched normal subjects and patients with portal hypertension to evaluate the effects of a meal on the portal venous system. Postprandial increase in portal vessel diameters was proved to be statistically significant in normal individuals, with mean variations of 27.9% (16-60%), 46.5% (25-83%), and 45.2% (20-75%), respectively, for portal, splenic, and superior mesenteric veins. In contrast, this effect was insignificant in the hypertensive portal venous system. A diminished meal-related caliber variation in portal, splenic, and mesenteric veins less than 16%, 25%, and 20%, respectively, could be diagnostic of portal hypertension.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.