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Transmitted Cardiac Pulsations as an Indicator of Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt Function: Initial Observations¹

¹ From the Departments of Radiology (R.G.S., T.V., D.P.B.) and Neurology (B.J.R.), Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, 330 Brookline Ave, Boston, MA 02215. Received August 9, 2001; revision requested September 19; revision received November 5; accepted January 7, 2002. Address correspondence to R.G.S. (e-mail: rsheiman@caregroup.harvard.edu).

PURPOSE: To determine if cardiac pulsations are visible and quantifiable on spectral waveforms during Doppler ultrasonographic (US) evaluation of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts (TIPS), and if so, whether their magnitude declines with shunt dysfunction.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Baseline and prerevision US images obtained in 15 patients with venographically confirmed TIPS malfunction were retrospectively examined for spectral waveform pulsation. Cardiac pulsatility was quantified by using the venous pulsatility index (VPI), the venous equivalent of resistive index. VPIs were obtained at four locations from the main portal vein to the stent–hepatic venous junction. Baseline and follow-up examination results in 11 patients with functional TIPS acted as controls and were evaluated similarly. Baseline and follow-up mean VPIs at all four locations were compared for both sets of patients by using the Newman-Keuls pairwise multiple sample comparison test. The ² test was used to determine if a VPI threshold that would result in an acceptable sensitivity and specificity for shunt dysfunction existed.

RESULTS: One hundred twenty mean VPIs were obtained in the study group, and 88 mean VPIs were obtained in the control group. Prerevision VPIs at each location were significantly lower (P < .01) than all baseline values and than the follow-up values in the control group. A VPI less than 0.16 was 94% sensitive and 87% specific for shunt dysfunction.

CONCLUSION: The VPI, a quantitative measure of cardiac pulsation obtained with Doppler US, may be a useful parameter for assessing TIPS function.

© RSNA, 2002

Index terms: Hepatic veins, stenosis or obstruction, 957.721, 959.721 • Hepatic veins, US, 957.12983, 957.12984, 957.12989, 959.12983, 959.12984, 959.12989 • Shunts, portosystemic, 957.1268, 959.1268 • Ultrasound (US), Doppler studies, 957.12983, 957.12984, 957.12989, 959.12983, 959.12984, 959.12989