J Korean Radiol Soc.  2008 Sep;59(3):173-181. 10.3348/jkrs.2008.59.3.173.

Evaluation of Portal Hypertension: A Comparison of the Use of Liver Perfusion CT with Wedge Hepatic venous Pressure and Hepatic venous Pressure Gradient

• Chung DJ
• Kim YJ
• Park YS
• Lee TH
• Kim CS
• Kang HK

• KMID: 2103915
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3348/jkrs.2008.59.3.173

Abstract

PURPOSE
We compared the hepatic perfusion indices obtained using hepatic perfusion CT with the wedge hepatic venous pressure (WHVP) and hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG) to determine the efficacy of the use of liver perfusion CT for the evaluation of portal hypertension.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Thirty-five patients with liver cirrhosis underwent hepatic vein catheterization to measure WHVP and HVPG and underwent a liver perfusion CT examination. Arterial perfusion, portal perfusion, total perfusion and the hepatic perfusion index (HPI) were calculated by the methods described by Miles and Blomley. The overall correlation coefficients (r) between the perfusion indices and WHVP and HVPG were calculated. An additional correlation coefficient of 23 alcoholic cirrhosis patients was calculated.
RESULTS
Using Blomley's equation, HPI had a positive correlation with WHVP (r = .471; p < .05) and HVPG (r = .482; p < .05). For the alcoholic liver cirrhosis patients, HPI had a higher positive correlation with WHVP (r = .500; p < .05) and HVPG (r= .539; p < .05) than for the non-alcoholic cirrhosis patients. There was no statistical difference between the use of Miles' equation and Blomley's equation for the evaluation of portal hypertension.
CONCLUSION
This preliminary study showed that HPI positively correlated with WHVP and HVPG, especially in alcoholic cirrhosis patients. Liver perfusion CT may be useful in the evaluation of portal hypertension.

Keyword

Computed tomography (CT), perfusion study; Liver cirrhosis; Hypertension, portal; Hepatic veins

MeSH Terms

Catheterization
Catheters
Fibrosis
Hepatic Veins
Humans
Hypertension, Portal
Liver
Liver Cirrhosis
Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic
Perfusion
Venous Pressure