title: Evaluation of portal venous velocity with Doppler ultrasound in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We examined the relationship between portal venous velocity and hepatic-abdominal fat in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), using spectral Doppler ultrasonography (US) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
  
  
  METHODS
  In this prospective study, 35 patients with NAFLD and 29 normal healthy adults (control group) underwent portal Doppler US. The severity of hepatic steatosis in patients with NAFLD was assessed by MRI through chemical shift imaging, using a modification of the Dixon method. Abdominal (intra-abdominal and subcutaneous) fat was measured by MRI.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The difference in portal venous velocity between the patients with NAFLD and the control group was significant (p < 0.0001). There was no correlation between the degree of abdominal or hepatic fat and portal venous velocity (p > 0.05). There were strong correlations between the hepatic fat fraction and subcutaneous adiposity (p < 0.0001), intraperitoneal fat accumulation (p = 0.017), and retroperitoneal fat accumulation (p < 0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that patients with NAFLD have lower portal venous velocities than normal healthy subjects.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Adana Teaching and Medical Research Center, Baskent University, Yuregir, Adana, Turkey. sulusan@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Serife
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ulusan
authors.forename: Tolga
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yakar
authors.forename: Zafer
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Koc
mesh_terms: D050153:Abdominal Fat / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications; D050177:Overweight / Q000150:complications; D011169:Portal Vein / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler