Echo-Doppler evaluation of the renal arterial flow in hepatic cirrhosis
Sperandeo, M.; Varriale, A.; Sperandeo, G.; Caturelli, E.; Casillo, A.; Lucentini, L.
Archivio Italiano di Urologia Andrologia Organo Ufficiale di Societa Italiana di Ecografia Urologica e Nefrologica 65(4): 409-411
1993
ISSN/ISBN: 1124-3562 PMID: 8353551 Document Number: 418615
In liver cirrhosis the sodium retention depends on a decreased renal perfusion by arteriolar vasoconstriction. To evaluate the usefulness of echo-Doppler in detecting such hemodynamic impairment, we studied 16 cirrhotic patients and 16 healthy subjects as control group. We measured Pulsatility Index (P.I.) and Resistivity Index (R.I.). Both parameters resulted to be statistically higher in cirrhotic patients than in controls; moreover they resulted to be higher in cirrhotics with ascites than in those without. Therefore echo-Doppler can detect intraparenchymal renal vasoconstriction in cirrhosis, this impaired perfusion is already evident before ascites formation.