Radiology, Vol 196, 489-492, Copyright © 1995 by Radiological Society of North America
Hepatic artery resistance before and after standard meal in subjects with diseased and healthy livers
LK Joynt, JF Platt, JM Rubin, JH Ellis and RO Bude
Department of Radiology, University of Michigan Hospital, Ann Arbor 48109-0030, USA.
PURPOSE: To assess fasting and postprandial resistive index (RI) in
subjects with healthy and diseased livers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Subjects
with healthy (n = 10) and diseased (n = 33) livers underwent fasting and
postprandial Doppler ultrasonography of the hepatic artery. Findings were
compared with parameters for liver disease and Child class A-C and Child
score of 5-15. RESULTS: The mean postprandial RI increase in healthy
subjects was 42% (all, > or = 20%) and in patients with liver disease
was 7% (six, > or = 20%). Patients with class A disease (n = 12) had a
significantly greater increase in post-prandial RI (13%) than those with
class B or C disease (3%) (P < .05). All patients with class C disease
(n = 9) had an increased postprandial RI of less than 10%. The 13 patients
with at least 10% increase in postprandial RI had less severe liver disease
(Child score, 6.1 +/- 1.3 [standard deviation]) than the 20 patients with
less than 10% increase (Child score, 8.4 +/- 1.7) (P < .01). CONCLUSION:
A normal marked increase in postprandial RI is generally not seen in
patients with severe liver disease.
