Splanchnic arterial stenosis or occlusion: diagnosis at Doppler US.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the diagnostic accuracy of Doppler ultrasonography (US) in the detection of high-grade stenosis or occlusion of the celiac artery (CA) and superior mesenteric artery (SMA) and validate the previously reported Doppler US criteria.


METHODS
During a recent 36-month period, 82 patients were prospectively examined with Doppler US of the splanchnic arteries and with lateral abdominal aortography, regardless of their abdominal symptoms. The previously reported diagnostic criteria with the fasting peak systolic velocity measurement were prospectively used in all patients. The results of Doppler US were compared with those of lateral aortography.


RESULTS
The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of Doppler US for the detection of 70% or greater CA stenosis or occlusion were 100%, 87%, 57%, 100%, and 89%, respectively; for 70% or greater SMA stenosis or occlusion, these values were 100%, 98%, 93%, 100%, and 99%, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Owing to its high accuracy in the diagnosis of high-grade splanchnic arterial stenosis or occlusion, Doppler US can be used as a screening method to help detect CA or SMA stenosis or occlusion and can reduce the use of unnecessary, invasive angiography.
Lim
H K
HK
Department of Radiology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Lee
W J
WJ
Kim
S H
SH
Lee
S J
SJ
Choi
S H
SH
Park
H S
HS
Do
Y S
YS
Choo
S W
SW
Choo
I W
IW
D000368:Aged; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002445:Celiac Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017538:Mesenteric Artery, Superior / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008641:Mesenteric Vascular Occlusion / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011859:Radiography; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler