[Abdominal ultrasound diagnosis]

The doppler sonography is an important tool in the diagnosis of liver diseases, even by using new techniques like the power doppler. There are a lot of indications for the evaluation of the hepatic vessels. Apart from the diagnosis of portal hypertension in liver cirrhosis a portal vein thrombosis should be detected or excluded in cases of new or refractory ascites. The Budd-Chiari syndrome is another important indication. Focal liver lesions can have characteristic findings in doppler sonography, but an exact differentiation of liver tumors is not possible. But doppler sonography even using the power doppler technique is be used more and more in hepatocellular carcinoma to evaluate the response to treatment with chemoembolization, radiofrequency thermoablation or percutaneous ethanol injection. The accuracy is compatible to angiography and computer-tomography.