Background: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is becoming one of the most frequent liver diseases worldwide, and great difficulties are encountered nowadays for finding non-invasive, sensitive, specific and reproducible workup methods to help these patients. The aim of our study is to assess literature findings on the utility of evaluating portal vein velocity with Doppler ultrasonography (US) in patients affected with NAFLD, and to discuss a series of such cases vs different US findings. A relationship between portal vein velocity and stage or progression on NAFLD would suggest that such an alternative, non-invasive and reproducible examination could be used in the management of noncirrhotic NAFLD patients. The basis of such a relationship would be the presumed reduction in liver and hepatic vascular compliance, associated with an increase in hepatic vascular resistance in such patients. Although previously considered a non-reproducible and operator-dependent examination, Doppler US assessment of the portal venous velocity is now viewed by more and more practitioners as a
useful tool at least in what follow-up and detection of complications in NAFLD patients is concerned.
- liver fibrosis
- non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
- ultrasound