[Correlation between hepatic vein pressure and diameter of portal vein and spleen as determined by ultrasound tomography in patients with liver disease (author's transl)].

The diameter of the portal vein and the transversal diameter of the spleen on the ultrasound scan were significantly greater in 15 patients with chronic active hepatitis than in controls and in 43 patients with cirrhosis of the liver than in patients with chronic active hepatitis. In patients with cirrhosis of the liver there was a significant correlation between the diameter of the portal vein and both spleen size and wedged hepatic vein pressure. In many cases ultrasound tomography is a reliable method for detecting portal hypertension.