The effect of meal intake on hepatic feeding vessels-color Doppler ultrasonographic assessment in normal Chinese adults.

To evaluate the response of hepatic vessels, the hepatic artery and portal vein were measured before and after a meal by color Doppler ultrasonography in 14 normal Chinese adults. Portal vein can be identified in all instance with diameter, velocity and flow volume in fasting as 1.17 +/- 0.22 cm, 16.29 +/- 3.68 cm/sec and 18.7 +/- 11.8 ml/sec respectively. These parameters are significantly increased to 1.38 +/- 0.25, 22.72 +/- 4.88 and 33.91 +/- 12.63 respectively (all with p < 0.01) after the meal. Successful visualization of hepatic artery was achieved in all except one (7.1%) in fasting, but only in 8 out of 14 after the meal. In fasting, hepatic artery peak systolic, mean and peak diastolic flow were 47.44 +/- 14.49, 28.81 +/- 10.10 and 18.36 +/- 6.85 cm/sec. respectively. These values did not alter significantly after the meal. In contrast, pulsatility index increased from 1.12 +/- 0.36 to 1.58 +/- 0.55 (p < 0.05), and resistance index rose from 0.61 +/- 0.07 to 0.71 +/- 0.08 (p = 0.06). The results suggest that the hepatic artery examination is not always successful, especialy in heavier-build person and after meal. Compared with hepatic artery, hemodynamics of portal vein is more easily affected by meal.