In a prospective study of 100 patients with liver metastasis using real-time ultrasound, 8 patients (8%) were found to have portal vein thrombosis (PVT). Sixty seven of these patients, which included all with PVT, also underwent duplex examination. Pulsed Doppler showed absent flow in 4 of 8 patients, indicating complete obstruction. The other 4 showed different degrees of flow suggesting incomplete obstruction or collateral formation. We conclude that PVT complicating liver metastasis is not a rare finding.
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