[Ultrasonographic symptoms of portal hypertension]

Ultrasound investigation was performed in 49 patients with the syndrome of portal hypertension. A portal blood flow blockade level could be determined by the type of changes of the abdominal and hepatic vessels. Portal hypertension of intrahepatic type was characterized by the dilated portal and splenic veins and the hepatic artery. The intrahepatic branches of the portal vein were amputated. Prehepatic blockade was diagnosed on the basis of local narrowing of the portal vein by a sizable formation, liver vascularization was unnoticed. A suprahepatic block was unaccompanied by a dramatic change in the lumens of the portal and splenic veins and the hepatic artery. A conclusion was made that real time ultrasound investigation could provide important information on differential diagnosis of the causes of a portal block. As a noninvasive and harmless method it should play a leading role in hepatological practice.