[Color Doppler ultrasound of the liver circulation]

Color Doppler Ultrasound (CDUS) is a valuable method for evaluation of morphological and hemodynamic changes of liver circulation occurring in various pathological conditions. In some of these conditions CDUS has a decisive diagnostic role, thus making further, potentially harmful invasive diagnostic procedures unnecessary. Except for the analysis of vascular liver diseases, as well as repercussions of circulatory impairment to the liver, utilization of CDUS provides valuable information for characterization of diffuse parenchymal and focal liver lesions. CDUS has advantages as compared to the other imaging modalities as it is widely available and noninvasive. The possible disadvantage is not related to the method itself, but is due to lack of expertise, i.e. training of the operator. In this article we review the present position of CDUS in evaluation of impairment of liver circulation: disorders of the venous outflow from the liver (Budd-Chiari syndrome, right-sided heart diseases, veno-occlusive disease), disorders of/in liver parenchyma (vascular anomalies-fistulae, solid tumors, circulatory changes that occur in diffuse liver diseases) and obstruction of the blood inflow to the liver (stenosis and thrombosis of hepatic artery and portal vein).