Association between the dynamic movement of hyperechoic foci and patients'/sonographic outcomes among pediatric patients with portal venous gas following a cardiac event

Objectives: To demonstrate the association between the dynamic movements of hyperechoic foci in portal venous gas (PVG) and patients'/sonographic outcomes after congenital heart disease or cardiac events. Methods: Thirty-one pediatric patients requiring management of congenital heart diseases or cardiac events who had PVG on ultrasound were included in this retrospective study. The patient outcome was prognosis: dead or alive. The sonographic outcome was recovery from PVG, measured as days from PVG detection to when it diminished on ultrasound. The following sonographic findings of hyperechoic foci in PVG were compared between patients: detection within the mesenteric vein, having to-and-fro movements within the intrahepatic portal vein, distribution (left segment or both left and right segments) and shape (line or punctate) in the liver, and detection within the portal and hepatic veins. Comparisons were made using Fisher's exact/Mann-Whitney U test. Results: Four patients died without having recovered from PVG. A significant difference was observed in terms of the to-and-fro movement (with/without to-and-fro movement in dead vs. alive patients: 3/1 vs. 1/26, respectively; P = 0.003). Furthermore, a significant difference in sonographic outcomes was observed regarding patients with/without hyperechoic foci within the mesenteric vein (days with vs. without this finding: 2.0 +/- 1.24(1-5) vs.1 +/- 0(1), respectively; P = 0.011). Conclusions: In our small limited cohort, when PVG was visualized on ultrasound, close evaluation of the dynamic movement of hyperechoic foci, especially their to-and-fro movement within the intrahepatic portal vein and detection of hyperechoic foci within the mesenteric vein, were useful in predicting patients' outcomes and the time to PVG diminishment.