Effects of a meal on normal and hypertensive portal venous system: a quantitative ultrasonographic assessment.

A prospective sonographic study was undertaken in age- and sex-matched normal subjects and patients with portal hypertension to evaluate the effects of a meal on the portal venous system. Postprandial increase in portal vessel diameters was proved to be statistically significant in normal individuals, with mean variations of 27.9% (16-60%), 46.5% (25-83%), and 45.2% (20-75%), respectively, for portal, splenic, and superior mesenteric veins. In contrast, this effect was insignificant in the hypertensive portal venous system. A diminished meal-related caliber variation in portal, splenic, and mesenteric veins less than 16%, 25%, and 20%, respectively, could be diagnostic of portal hypertension.