SONOGRAPHIC CORRELATION BETWEEN PORTAL AND SPLENIC VEIN DIAMETERS IN CIRRHOTIC PATIENTS

Abstract

Background: Cirrhosis results from chronic liver injury and is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Non-invasive imaging modalities, particularly ultrasonography, play an important role in the assessment and monitoring of liver cirrhosis.

Objective: To determine the ultrasonographic correlation between portal vein diameter (PVD) and splenic vein diameter (SVD) in patients with cirrhosis.

Methodology: A Toshiba Aplio ultrasound system with a curvilinear probe was used for gray-scale and Doppler examinations. The study was conducted at District Headquarter Hospital, Ehsaas Hospital, and Umer Lab & Diagnostic Center, Kot Addu. Portal and splenic vein diameters were measured in 100 participants, comprising 50 patients with cirrhosis and 50 non-cirrhotic controls. The relationship between PVD and SVD was assessed statistically.

Results: A total of 100 participants were included; 64% were female and 36% were male, with ages ranging from 20 to 98 years. A strong positive correlation was observed between PVD and SVD in the overall sample (r = 0.8681, p < 0.0001). The correlation was also significant in non-cirrhotic participants (r = 0.7629, p < 0.0001) and cirrhotic participants (r = 0.5207, p = 0.0001). The porto-splenic vein diameter ratio differed among compensated cirrhotic, decompensated cirrhotic and non-cirrhotic groups (p = 0.000008).

Conclusion: Portal and splenic vein diameters demonstrated a statistically significant positive relationship. An increase in portal vein diameter was associated with an increase in splenic vein diameter in the studied population. These measurements may provide complementary sonographic information in the assessment of portal venous changes associated with cirrhosis.