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Abstract
Background
Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) is a growing global health concern due to its increasing prevalence, particularly in individuals with metabolic syndrome, obesity, and diabetes. Sonographic evaluation is a primary imaging modality for detecting fatty liver and associated vascular alterations. Portal vein diameter (PVD) is commonly measured to assess hepatic hemodynamics, but its relationship with fatty liver remains controversial.
Objective
To compare the portal vein diameter in patients with fatty liver and those with normal liver echotexture using ultrasound.
Methodology
This comparative study was conducted at The University of Lahore Ultrasound Clinic, Green Town, Lahore over a 9-month period. All patients aged 25–65 years visiting the clinic during the study period were included using convenient sampling. Inclusion criteria involved both male and female patients diagnosed with fatty liver, while those with inadequate sonographic visualization, hepatocellular carcinoma, or prior abdominal interventions were excluded. Portal vein diameter was assessed using a Canon Ap...
Results
A total of 95 participants were enrolled, comprising 41 patients with fatty liver and 54 with normal liver. The mean portal vein diameter in the fatty liver group was 12.08 ± 1.52 mm, and 12.15 ± 1.75 mm in the normal liver group. The difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.8898), suggesting that fatty liver does not significantly affect portal vein diameter.
Conclusion
The findings indicate no significant variation in portal vein diameter between individuals with fatty liver and those with normal liver echotexture. Therefore, PVD should not be used in isolation to evaluate or diagnose fatty liver disease in the absence of other pathological features