RESUMO
Background: Current literature on Budd Chiari Syndrome [BCS] in children is limited
Objective: To evaluate Ultrasound Doppler imaging as non-invasive and non-ionizing method of detecting children with clinical suspicion of Budd Chiari Syndrome
Methodology: This was a cross-sectional study conducted from 1stJanuary 2016 to 31st December 2017. Seventeen patients with clinically suspected BCS of age < 12 years, both gender, were registered from outpatient department of tertiary care unit, over a period of one year. Ultrasound and Doppler sonography was performed in all patients. Visualization of hepatic veins and IVC were noted along with flow and spectral waveform patterns in IVC, hepatic veins and portal veins. Intra-hepatic collaterals, caudate lobe hypertrophy, hepatosplenomegaly and ascites were also documented. The data was entered and analyzed by SPSS version 20
Results: The study included 11 [64.70%] female and 6 [35.29%] male patients with a mean age of 1.01+/-0.55 years. All patients had clinical suspicion of BCS [yellow discoloration of skin or sclera 52.94%, epistaxis 5.88%, abdominal pain 94.11%, distended abdomen 88.23%, palpable liver 64.70%, ascites 88.23% patients]. Ultrasonography showed right, middle and left hepatic veins occlusion 52.94%, 29.41% and 41.17% patients, respectively. Hepatic veins flow was reversed in 29.41% and absent in 52.94% cases. Intrahepatic collaterals, caudate lobe hypertrophy, hepatomegaly, portal hypertension, portal vein thrombosis and partial thrombosis of IVC were seen in 58.82%, 64.70%, 76.47%, 41.17%, 5.88% and 11.76% patients, respectively. Portal vein flow was hepatopetal in 52.94% and hepatofugal in 23.52% cases
Conclusion: Doppler sonography is a useful, non-invasive and non-ionizing imaging modality to diagnose and follow-up of patients with Budd Chiari Syndrome