Ultrasonography color Doppler of the hepatic venous portal system

Color doppler ultrasonography is an imaging method that allows theassessment of the venous portal hepatic system to obtain informationfor the diagnosis of portal venous hypertension, identifying thesubtle changes of the hepatic arterial flow, spectral wave and pulsatility index, portal vein diameter, morphology of the spectral wave, direction o flow inverted and portosystemic shunts in advancedpathology as well as in the evaluation of transyugular intrahepaticportosystemic shunts (TIPS), used in the treatment of patients withesophageal bleeding varix. It is useful in diagnosis of the Budd-Chiari syndrome and the evaluation and follow up of patients with inferior vein cava filters. This article offers a review of the hepatic portal venous system and the main ultrasonographic features of portal venous hypertension, and Budd-Chiari syndrome and their causes.