title: Ultrasonic duplex system to facilitate assessment of portal blood flow velocity.
abstract: The usefulness of an ultrasonic duplex system to assess portal blood flow was investigated. In a model involving a steady flow through a vinyl tube in agar, there was a significant linear correlation between the maximum blood flow velocity measured by this system (V-max) and the mean blood flow velocity calculated from the actually measured blood flow volume (V-mean), that is, V-mean = 0.53 X V-max was obtained (r = 0.994; n = 47). This equation was used to calculate the mean portal blood flow velocity by this system (V-dopp) in 10 patients with liver disease, and the findings were compared with data simultaneously obtained by cineangiographic mapping of Lipiodol droplets released into the portal vein through a catheter placed in situ at the time of surgery (V-cine). A linear correlation between V-dopp and V-cine was statistically significant (r = 0.970; n = 13), and the regression line was V-cine = 1.29 X V-dopp -2.11. The ultrasonic duplex system proved reliable for a quantitative assessment of portal hemodynamics.
mesh_terms: D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D002932:Cineangiography; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology; D008955:Models, Cardiovascular; D011168:Portal System / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012039:Regional Blood Flow; D012212:Rheology