title: Spectral Doppler of the Hepatic Veins in Noncardiac Diseases: What the Echocardiographer Should Know.
abstract: In most instances, the flow profile in the hepatic veins (HVs) reflects the fluctuation of pressure within the right atrium. Thus, interrogation of blood flow in the HVs is highly useful for the evaluation of right heart hemodynamics and has become an integral part of any routine echocardiographic examination. However, flow in the HVs is also affected by the state of the liver parenchyma and by the fluctuation of pressure within the thoracic cavity. Therefore, liver and pulmonary pathologies influence the flow pattern in the HVs and may lead to its dissociation from right heart hemodynamics. Echocardiographers should familiarize themselves with the findings on HV Doppler in noncardiac diseases to avoid misinterpretation and incorrect diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Bahaa M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Fadel
authors.affiliation: King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Khadija
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Alassas
authors.affiliation: King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Aysha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Husain
authors.affiliation: King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Ziad
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Dahdouh
authors.affiliation: King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Di Salvo
mesh_terms: D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D006503:Hepatic Veins / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*
keywords: Doppler echocardiography; hepatic veins; liver disease; lung disease