Assessment of Normal Portal Vein Diameter and Velocity using Ultrasound

This study was conducted to establish standards of normal portal vein diameter and portal venous velocity via ultrasound and can be helpful in early detection of portal hypertension as well as to have indigenous index for healthy Sudanese correlate with body characteristic based on age, gender, weight, height and abdominal circumference (AC). Importance of this study is to help in diagnosis portal hypertension in early stage to avoid the complication as well as to reduce the cost and time of examination. The data was collected, analyzed by using Statistical Packaged for Social Studies (SPSS). Duplex ultrasound examinations were performed in Khartoum Bahri Hospital, Khartoum State during the period) from May 2015 to December 2015(, on 100 patients (49 male and 51 female) with normal abdominal scan (hypertension, DM and patient who has chronic liver disease are exclusion criteria). The analysis of the results found that the most age group ranged between 20 to 29 years forming (33%) of the sample volume, the most body weight ranged from (60 to 69) Kg forming (38%), the height of the body from (160 to 169) cm in (39%), the abdominal circumference between (70-79) cm in (30%) of patients. In result we found the portal vein diameter increase with age and weight but the values are similar in male and female. No significant correlation was detected between portal vein diameter, height and abdominal circumference (AC). Highly significant correlation was detected between portal vein diameter and portal vein velocity of patient (increase velocity with decreasing diameter), these was expected and goes with previous study. The study also found that there was significant correlation between Sudanese portal vain diameter and velocity and international standard. The study recommended further study to correlate normal portal vein diameter and velocity with liver size.