Transjugular intravascular ultrasound for the evaluation of hepatic vasculature and parenchyma in patients with chronic liver disease

BMC Research Notes

Laurent Spahr¹  Emile Giostra¹  Antoine Hadengue¹  Pierre-Frédéric Keller²  Andrea De Gottardi³ 

[1] Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Hospitals and Faculty of Medicine, Geneva, Switzerland;Interventional Cardiology, University Hospitals and Faculty of Medicine, Geneva, Switzerland;University Clinic of Visceral Surgery and Medicine, Inselspital, 3010 Berne, Switzerland

关键词: Hepatocellular carcinoma;    Portal hypertension;    Cirrhosis;    Liver;    Intracardiac echography;    Imaging;   

Others  :  1166695
DOI  :  10.1186/1756-0500-5-77

 received in 2011-11-02, accepted in 2012-01-27,  发布年份 2012

【 摘 要 】

Background

The evaluation of the hepatic parenchyma in patients with chronic liver disease is important to assess the extension, localization and relationship with adjacent anatomical structures of possible lesions. This is usually performed with conventional abdominal ultrasound, CT-scan or magnetic resonance imaging. In this context, the feasibility and the safety of intravascular ultrasound in the liver have not been assessed yet.

Methods

We tested the safety and performance of an intracardiac echography (ICE) catheter applied by a transjugular approach into the hepatic veins in patients with chronic liver disease undergoing hepatic hemodynamic measurements.

Results

Five patients were enrolled in this pilot study. The insertion of the ICE catheter was possible into the right and middle, but not into the left hepatic vein. The position of the ICE was followed using fluoroscopy and external conventional ultrasound. Accurate imaging of focal hepatic parenchymal lesions, Doppler ultrasound of surrounding blood vessels and assessment of liver surface and ascites were achieved without complications.

Conclusions

This study demonstrated that a diagnostic approach using an ICE device inserted in the hepatic veins is feasible, safe and well tolerated. However, it remains for the moment only an experimental investigative tool. Whether ICE adds further information regarding parenchymal lesions and associated vascular alterations as compared to other techniques, needs additional investigation.

【 授权许可】

   
2012 De Gottardi et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

【 图 表 】

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