Pulsed Doppler sonography of the hepatoduodenal ligament: efficacy and ease of performance.

A prospective analysis of the hepatoduodenal ligament (HDL) in 205 patients with abdominal pulsed Doppler sonography supports the conclusion that Doppler ultrasound is a useful adjunct to routine scanning in this area. Abdominal pulsed Doppler sonography allows reliable differentiation among the HDL structures by identifying and characterizing flow in the portal vein and hepatic arterial structures, while demonstrating no flow in the bile ducts. Proper hepatic arterial signal was obtained in 190 (92.7%) patients. Portal venous signal was obtained in virtually all (203 of 205-99%) patients. Abdominal Doppler sonography shows promise in its ability to provide definitive diagnostic information in situations where images alone may prove misleading. Doppler sonography can differentiate similarly sized bile ducts and arteries and detect dilated arterial and venous structures simulating dilated bile ducts.