Color Doppler Ultrasound Examination Of The Main Portal Vein And Inferior Vena Cava In Normal Malaysian Adult Population: A Fasting And Post Prandial Evaluation

Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate hemodynamic changes in the main portal vein and inferior vena cava (IVC) in adult population after liquid meal ingestion. Methods: Color Doppler was used to measure hemodynamic changes in the main portal vein and IVC in response to meal ingestion and posture changing, in 48 healthy adults (23 males and 25 females), which consists of three ethnics groups (Malay, Chinese and Indian). Results: Mean blood velocity portal vein was significantly increased from a baseline value of 21.17±8.15 cm/s to a maximum value of 28.48±7.79 cm/s, 30 minutes after a meal (p<0.05). No significant changes were found in diameter and venous pulsatility index for main portal vein and diameter, velocity and venous pulsatility index for inferior vena cava (IVC). There are also no significant differences between sex, age and ethnic groups except venous pulsatility index of main portal vein, which found to be higher in males (3.08±4.25) (p<0.05). Posture change from supine to sitting significantly reduced portal venous velocity (16.87±5.54cm/s) from the baseline value (21.17±8.15cm/s) (p<0.05), while others parameter changes were not statistically significant. Conclusions: There was no evidence of a prandial effect in healthy adults on diameter, flow velocity and pulsatility index for IVC. No significant differences were found in the diameter and flow velocity between sex, age, ethnic groups and posture changing. Venous pulsatility index was higher in males than in females, whereas velocity of portal vein was decreased after posture changing from supine to sitting.