Portal hemodynamics disorders severity in liver cirrhosis assessment by duplex ultrasound

Abstract

Background: The need to evaluate hemodynamics in case of portal hypertension syndrome is a current problem. Identification of portal hypertension by invasive methods is difficult, hence the logical conclusion of the need to optimize the portal hypertension diagnosis by non-invasive methods. This study aims: to identify a system of non-invasive measurements, which will permit to develop a scoring system for portal hemodynamics disorders severity in liver cirrhosis assessment by duplex ultrasound and a scoring interpretation, which allows the classification as: low severity, middle severity and high severity. Material and methods: One hundred eleven patients who were diagnosed with cirrhosis formed the research cohort. The patients had an enhanced clinical and biological evaluation. Ultrasound examination was done by Logiq E9, Voluson E8 equipment, using linear probe of 7-10 MHz frequency and convex probe of 3.5-5 MHz frequency by the transabdominal access, in real time two-dimensional (B) regimen, with the subsequent use of color Doppler and spectral Doppler techniques. Obtained data was processed using case-based reasoning, data segmentation and clusterization. Results: A scoring for portal hemodynamics disorders severity in liver cirrhosis assessment, based on five non-invasive measurements, obtained by doppler ultrasound imaging, was developed. Conclusions: The scoring system can be used for a differential diagnosis of liver cirrhosis. The decision rules in the form of productions, obtained during the data clustering stage, can be used to develop medical information systems.