The role of hepatic vein Doppler in diagnosing acute rejection following paediatric liver transplantation

Association between duplex Doppler sonographic flow pattern in right hepatic vein and various liver diseases

“…13,14 However, type 3 waveforms are not specific for liver cirrhosis. Damped waveforms may also be detected in patients with fibrosis, steatosis hepatitis, 15 transplant rejection, 16 cholangitis, or liver metastases. The large degree of overlap in the waveforms between the different groups of liver diseases makes the interpretation in the individual cases more difficult.…”

The Evaluation of Renal Hemodynamics with Doppler Ultrasonography

“…Compliance of the liver tissue is reflected by the pulsatility of the hepatic venous signal since the majority of pathologies expand the liver parenchyma within its confining capsule. This, in turn, reduces compliance and leads to dampening of the hepatic venous signal (Britton et al, 1992). It is believed that there is an equivalent phenomenon in the kidney.…”

Liver transplant rejection: value of hepatic vein Doppler waveform analysis

“…Marder et al prospectively studied the resistive indices in the hepatic arteries of liver transplants and found no difference between patients with and those without rejection [4]. Relatively few studies have investigated the utility of hepatic vein waveform abnormalities in transplant rejection [6][7][8]. Following liver transplantation, hepatic vein Doppler tracings can be variable and cannot be used to predict rejection [10].…”

“…Following liver transplantation, hepatic vein Doppler tracings can be variable and cannot be used to predict rejection [10]. Two studies performed in pediatric patients, however, suggest that hepatic vein waveform analysis may be of value [6,7]. Coulden et al reported dampening of hepatic veins in 18 of 23 cases of rejection [6].…”

“…Few research studies have investigated hepatic vein waveform abnormalities in liver transplant rejection. Two studies performed in pediatric patients reported changes in hepatic vein waveform in patients with rejection [6,7]. A recent study of adult patients, conducted by Harms et al, found that rejection was associated with an increased hepatic vein dampening index [8].…”