Ultrasonography of the liver. An update on new applications.

Sonography is highly useful in evaluating the patient with severe liver disease before and after the placement of a TIPS and before and after organ transplantation. Efforts to use ultrasound imaging to evaluate for primary and metastatic lesions to the liver have been reviewed. With its Doppler and color flow capabilities, ultrasound imaging will remain an important modality for hepatic imaging, especially in the evaluation of portal vein patency and hepatic artery thrombosis.