Clinical application of hepatic venous hemodynamics by Doppler ultrasonography in chronic liver disease

The phase differences of the hepatic vein (HV) Doppler waveform might be influenced by fibrosis and steatosis of the liver when using HV Doppler and pressure curve analysis. Because HV catheterization is invasive, we have advocated the noninvasive comparative index (QXs ratio) of the HV Doppler waveform phases recorded simultaneously with electrocardiography and phgonocardiography. Forty-three controls and 169 patients with a variety of liver diseases were enrolled in the study. The mean QXs ratio was 0.75 in the controls, 0.6 in the chronic hepatitis patients, 0.45 in the cirrhosis patients, and 0.90 in the fatty liver patients. There were significant differences between all pairs of these groups (p < 0.001). The QXs ratio may be used to assess the degree of hepatic fibrosis or steatosis.