Approach to the examination of patients with suspect portal hypertension using duplex ultrasonography. I. Quantitative evaluation of flow in the portal vein

The paper deals with the application of duplex real-time ultrasonography in the area of portal vein system. The attention is centered to the method of quantification of the flow. The author first analyzes the methodology and refers to some main technical factors influencing validity of the results obtained. The author then draws attention to basic ultrasonographic symptoms of portal hypertension. Having analyzed literature data he refers to limited importance of measuring the portal vein flow for the diagnosis of portal hypertension, draws attention to the contribution of respiratory changes in the area of portal vascular bed and the changes in blood flow velocity for this diagnosis. Finally, attention is paid to the possibility of suitable combination of these two signs by creating s. c. "congestive index" (18).