Doppler Ultrasound Detection and Grading of Portal Vein Thrombosis in Patients with Liver Cirrhosis: Results from a Cross-Sectional Study, Abbottabad

Abstract

Objective: To ascertain the portal vein thrombosis frequency via ultrasound in liver cirrhosis patients at the
Combined Military Hospital, Abbottabad.
Study Design: Cross-sectional study.
Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted at the Department of Radiology, Combined Military
Hospital (CMH), Abbottabad, Pakistan from 29^th December 2023 to 29^th June 2024.
Methods: The study utilized a sequential sampling strategy to recruit participants, excluding those with
hepatocellular carcinoma, coagulopathies, malignancy, infections, or pregnancy. Doppler ultrasound assessed
portal vein thrombosis, with pertinent clinical and laboratory data being recorded. Data analysis was
performed using SPSS v25, considering P ≤ 0.05 as significant.
Results: This study involving 137 patients revealed a mean age of 43.52 ± 15.08 years. The average duration of
liver cirrhosis was 3.9 ± 1.29 months. Patients had a mean serum albumin level of 2.31 ± 0.24 g/dL and a mean
prothrombin time/international normalized ratio (INR) of 1.40 ± 0.11 seconds. Chronic viral hepatitis was
identified as the leading cause of liver disease, accounting for 33.6% of cases. Other causes included nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) 20.4%, autoimmune hepatitis 19.7%, and drug-induced liver injury 15.3%. Portal vein thrombosis was found in 17 patients (12.4%), with Grade I being the most common type, accounting for 4.4%, followed by Grade II and Grade III, be 3.6% & 2.9%, respectively.
Conclusion: This study demonstrates a notable prevalence of portal vein thrombosis (PVT) (12.4%) in cirrhotic
patients, underscoring the critical role of Doppler ultrasound as a non-invasive, accessible tool for early
detection and grading of PVT.

How to cite this: Khan M, Hasnain MAZ, Khan S, Ahmad MI. Doppler Ultrasound Detection and Grading of Portal Vein Thrombosis in Patients with Liver Cirrhosis: Results from a Cross-Sectional Study, Abbottabad. Life and Science. 2025; 6(4): 490-496. doi: http://doi.org/10.37185/LnS.1.1.973