Ultrasonic Duplex System to Facilitate Assessment of Portal Blood Flow Velocity

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Abstract
The usefulness of an ultrasonic duplex system to assess portal blood flow was investigated. In a model involving a steady flow through a vinyl tube in agar, there was a significant linear correlation between the maximum blood flow velocity measured by this system (V-max) and the mean blood flow velocity calculated from the actually measured blood flow volume (V-mean), that is, V-mean=0.53 .times. V-max was obtained (r=0.994; n=47). This equation was used to calculate the mean portal blood flow velocity by this system (.hivin.V-dopp) in 10 patients with liver disease, and the findings were compared with data simultaneously obtained by cineangiographic mapping of Lipiodol droplets released into the portal vein through a catheter placed in situ at the time of surgery (.hivin.V-cine). A linear correlation between .hivin.V-dopp and .hivin.V-cine was statistically significant (r=0.970; n=13), and the regression line was .hivin.V-cine=1.29 .times. .hivin.V-dopp-2.11. The ultrasonic duplex system proved reliable for a quantitative assessment of portal hemodynamics.