Doppler ultrasound in the evaluation of hepatic circulation in patients with cirrhosis: Literature review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26871/killkana_salud.v10i1.1705Keywords:
Doppler Ultrasound, Portal Hypertension, Liver Cirrhosis, Elasticity Imaging TechniquesAbstract
Doppler ultrasound is a widely used noninvasive tool for assessing hepatic circulation and detecting hemodynamic abnormalities in cirrhosis. Its ability to quantify blood flow velocity, resistance, and direction allows clinically significant portal hypertension (CSPH) to be estimated without resorting to invasive methods. Methods: A literature review was conducted using a structured search of biomedical databases and academic search engines, including articles published between 2020 and 2025 in Spanish and English. Studies that evaluated the diagnostic and prognostic utility of hepatic Doppler ultrasound in patients with cirrhosis were selected, following previously defined eligibility criteria. Results: Thirty-one studies that met the established criteria were included. The literature shows that Doppler parameters such as portal velocity, arterial resistance index, and venous wave pattern are consistently associated with the severity of fibrosis and the presence of clinically significant portal hypertension. Furthermore, integration with elastography techniques increased diagnostic accuracy (AUC > 0.80). Conclusions: Doppler ultrasound, integrated within a multiparametric approach, represents a valuable noninvasive tool for the functional assessment of portal hypertension and the follow-up of patients with cirrhosis, especially in settings where invasive methods are not routinely available.
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