A Doppler waveform index to characterize hepatic vein velocity pattern and evaluate hepatic fibrosis.

PURPOSE: To describe a Doppler waveform index representing the hepatic vein flow velocity pattern and to examine its relationship to the degree of hepatic fibrosis. METHODS: Doppler waveforms were obtained in 66 patients scheduled for percutaneous liver needle biopsy and categorized as normal (with a retrograde flow phase) or abnormal (without retrograde flow). Waveforms were also characterized using a hepatic vein waveform index (HVWI): (maximum - minimum velocity)/(maximum velocity). Biopsy specimens were graded for fibrosis. RESULTS: There was a highly significant decrease in HVWI with increasing fibrosis score in the biopsy (p < 0.001, Jonckheere trend test). The biopsy showed cirrhosis in 14 of 29 patients (48%) with absent retrograde flow and 5 of 37 patients (14%) with a normal flow pattern. Using HVWI as the criterion, cirrhosis was present in 13 of 21 (62%) patients with HVWI < 0.75, in 6 of 31 (19%) patients with 0.75 < HVWI < 1.50, and in none of 14 (0%) patients with HVWI > 1.50. CONCLUSIONS: HVWI is inversely correlated to the degree of liver fibrosis and may be more efficient than the presence or absence of retrograde flow in diagnosing and grading hepatic fibrosis.