UTILITY OF DUPLEX-DOPPLER ULTRASOUND IN EVALUATING PORTAL-HYPERTENSION IN CHILDREN

We measured the maximal velocity of the blood flow in the main portal trunk by duplex Doppler ultrasound in children suffering from a variety of liver diseases, The maximal velocity of the main portal vein in children with chronic active hepatitis and liver cirrhosis was decreased significantly as compared to those in control children (p < 0.01), The maximal velocity of the main portal trunk and K indocyanine green (ICG) had no significant correlation (r = 0.25, n = 27), The patient with the lowest portal velocity had esophageal and gastric varices with red color sign. We conclude that the measurement of the maximal velocity of the main portal trunk with duplex Doppler ultrasound is useful in evaluating portal hypertension in children.