Ultrasound - Ultrasound ("Ducts and Dopplers")
What is the value of an ultrasound ducts & dopplers as a screening tool in the evaluation of a liver graft?
This test has a high negative predictive value for a vascular problem. In other words, if the hepatic arterial indices and portal venous indices are within normal limits, and the hepatic veins patent, then the problem is unlikely to be of a vascular nature.
as a screening test
Definite but faint Doppler signal is detected in the extrahepatic artery. No Doppler signal is detected in the intrahepatic arteries. The portal and hepatic veins are patent. There is pneumobilia - a common finding after hepaticojejunostomy. In addition, in the right lobe of the liver, there is a rounded area of dirty acoustic shadowing as seen due to gas, but not typical for pneumobilia.