Ultrasonic Appearances of the Types of Portal Vein Tumor Thrombosis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

  • Prof Liwu Lin, Dept. of Ultrasound of Union Hospital of Fujian Medical university, China
  • Physician Jiajia Yang, Dept. of Ultrasound of Union Hospital of Fujian Medical university, China
  • Prof Ensheng Xue, Dept. of Ultrasound of Union Hospital of Fujian Medical university, China

    • Objective: To probe the incidence rates and ultrasonic performances of various types of portal vein tumor thrombosis (PVTT) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
    Methods: Ultrasonography was carried out for 178 patients with HCC. Typing determinations were made for the PVTT cases and ultrasonic performances of each type were analyzed. Statistical analysis was taken to compare the differences of PVTT incidence rates and type ratios among HCC groups.
    Results: PVTT was found in 64 cases(type I in 25, type II in 31, type III in 8) among 178 HCC patients. The arterial flow signals were detected in 87.18% of type II and III, and slightly hyperechoic or hypoechoic strip-like area were found in type I cases. No significant difference of PVTT type ratios was found among different groups(P>0.05),while significant differences of PVTT incidence rates among groups with different sizes were noticed (P<0.05).
    Conclusion: PVTT is more often to be found in cases with larger HCC, and Type I and type II of PVTT are more often to be detected. Being aware of characteristic sonographic appearance and incidence rate of each type is helpful to improve the diagnostic accuracy of PVTT, especially for type I.