Presinusoidal portal hypertension does not affect hepatic artery resistance index.

Abstract

We aimed to determine the mean hepatic artery resistance index (RI) in presinusoidal portal hypertension and to compare the values with those in sinusoidal portal hypertension. The hepatic artery RIs of 11 patients with presinusoidal portal hypertension, 12 patients with sinusoidal portal hypertension and 16 healthy subjects were examined with duplex Doppler ultrasound. Mean hepatic artery RIs of three groups were compared. In patients with presinusoidal portal hypertension, mean RI in the hepatic artery (0.63 +/- 0.06) was significantly lower (p < 0.05) than that in the patients with sinusoidal portal hypertension (0.73 +/- 0.03). There was no significant difference (p > 0.05) in the mean RIs of the hepatic artery between the patients with presinusoidal portal hypertension (0.63 +/- 0.06) and the controls (0.67 +/- 0.05). Mean RI value in patients with sinusoidal portal hypertension (0.73 +/- 0.03) was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than the mean values in the control group (0.67 +/- 0.05). Hepatic arterial resistance does not change in presinusoidal portal hypertension, whereas it increases in sinusoidal portal hypertension. However, there are some overlaps in the RI values which raise difficulties in the differentiation of these two forms of portal hypertension.