OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the agreement between Doppler ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging as well as the interobserver reproducibility of both methods in the measurement of portal blood flow in schistosomal patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional, observational, self-paired study evaluated 21 patients with schistosomiasis mansoni submitted to measurement of portal blood flow with phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging and Doppler ultrasonography. RESULTS: A poor intermethod agreement was observed (intraclass correlation coefficient: 34.5% [CI 95%]). On the other hand, the interobserver reproducibility was excellent in the evaluation by magnetic resonance imaging (intraclass correlation coefficient: 99.2% [CI 95%] / Pearson's correlation coefficient: 99.2% / portal blood flow = 0.806) and by Doppler ultrasonography (intraclass correlation coefficient: 80.6 to 93.0% [CI 95%] / Pearson's correlation coefficient: 81.6% to 92.7% / portal blood flow = 0.954, 0.758 and 0.749). CONCLUSION: There is a poor intermethod agreement in the measurement of portal blood flow. Nevertheless, contrast-phase magnetic resonance imaging and Doppler ultrasonography demonstrated to be reproducible methods presenting excellent interobserver agreement in the quantification of portal blood flow in patients with hepatosplenic schistosomiasis-related portal hypertension
Portal blood flow; Magnetic resonance imaging; Doppler ultrasonography; Reproducibility; Portal hypertension
