Role of Vascular Ultrasound in the Evaluation of Liver Disease

In this article, the appearance of the normal hepatic vasculature is first described, followed by a review of the pathologic changes that can be observed with ultrasound in the setting of cirrhosis and portal hypertension, portal vein thrombosis, portal vein abnormalities and hepatic vein thrombosis, and Budd-Chiari syndrome. Finally, the contribution of color and duplex Doppler ultrasound in the evaluation of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts and liver transplantation is addressed.