Noninvasive analysis of portal pressure by contrast-enhanced sonography in patients with cirrhosis.
OBJECTIVE
Free portal pressure measurement is a reliable method for assessment of portal pressure in patients with cirrhosis. Intrahepatic circulatory time analysis of a sonographic contrast agent can assess liver fibrosis and its severity. The purposes of this pilot study were to assess the correlation between the intrahepatic circulatory time and free portal pressure and to assess whether intrahepatic circulatory time analysis can be used to predict portal venous pressure severity.


METHODS
The intrahepatic circulatory time and free portal pressure were measured in 31 patients with hepatitis B virus-related liver disease. Pearson correlation analysis was used to assess the correlation between the intrahepatic circulatory time and free portal pressure.


RESULTS
The hepatic vein-hepatic artery interval times were significantly shorter in the portal hypertension group than the non-portal hypertension group (mean ± SD, 8.26 ± 1.94 and 13.83 ± 1.17 seconds, respectively; P < .001). The portal vein-hepatic artery interval times were significantly longer in the portal hypertension group than the nonportal hypertension group (13.13 ± 2.25 and 7.25 ± 1.81 seconds; P < .001). Considering the whole patient population, there were statistically significant correlations between free portal pressure and the hepatic vein-hepatic artery interval time (r = -0.900; P < .001) and portal vein-hepatic artery interval time (r = 0.808; P < .001). In patients with portal hypertension, there was a statistically significant correlation between free portal pressure and the hepatic vein-hepatic artery interval time (r = -0.804; P = .009) and a weak correlation between free portal pressure and the portal vein-hepatic artery interval time (r = 0.506; P = .036).


CONCLUSIONS
Intrahepatic circulatory time measurement is correlated with free portal pressure and has the potential capability to evaluate portal pressure noninvasively in patients with hepatitis B virus-related liver disease.
Department of Ultrasound, First Affiliated Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China.
Chao-Xue
CX
Zhang
Jing
J
Hu
Kong-Wang
KW
Hu
Chao
C
Zhang
Ling
L
Wang
Jian-Ming
JM
Xu
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001795:Blood Pressure Determination; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D006499:Hepatic Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006503:Hepatic Veins / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D008102:Liver Circulation; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010743:Phospholipids; D017082:Portal Pressure; D011169:Portal Vein / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D013459:Sulfur Hexafluoride; D014463:Ultrasonography
D003287:Contrast Media; D010743:Phospholipids; C420843:contrast agent BR1; D013459:Sulfur Hexafluoride