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Portal vein reflectors: duplex sonographic appearance.
J G Letourneau1, J E Carlson, D G Longley
1Department of Radiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.
Gastrointestinal Radiology
|January 11, 1992
Summary
Duplex ultrasound can identify portal venous air or clot emboli by detecting bright echoes and waveform changes. These findings are crucial for diagnosing conditions affecting the portal venous system.
Area of Science:
- Medical Imaging
- Vascular Ultrasound
- Gastroenterology
Background:
- Duplex sonography is vital for noninvasive portal venous system assessment.
- Previous studies described duplex sonographic features of suspected portal venous air.
Purpose of the Study:
- To experimentally reproduce sonographic features of portal venous air in dogs.
- To determine if clot emboli can mimic these sonographic findings.
Main Methods:
- Injections of air microbubbles and clot fragments into the canine portal venous system.
- Monitoring via duplex ultrasound, analyzing gray-scale and Doppler flow characteristics.
Main Results:
- Gray-scale and Doppler findings were indistinguishable between air and clot injections.
- Abnormal waveforms with high-amplitude spikes occurred in 79% of air and 56% of clot injections.
Conclusions:
- Rapidly moving intraluminal echoes and waveform spikes can indicate portal venous air or clot emboli.
- Duplex sonography findings require careful interpretation to differentiate causes.