脂肪肝对超声诊断肝纤维化的影响

目的：探讨不同程度脂肪肝对超声诊断肝纤维化的影响。方法回顾性分析我院363例肝病患者,均经肝穿刺活检确诊为肝纤维化,病理分期为S1-S4四期,其中脂肪肝患者223例,无脂肪肝患者140例,按纤维化分期及脂肪肝分度,分别观察肝脏实质回声的改变,采用秩和检验的统计学方法,分析不同程度脂肪肝对肝纤维化超声诊断结果的影响。结果轻度脂肪肝对各程度肝纤维化超声诊断结果的影响差异无统计学意义（P〉0.05）,中、重度脂肪肝使诊断的准确率下降,中度脂肪肝与无脂肪肝组比较,在S1-S2期差异有统计学意义（P〈0.05）,重度脂肪肝与无脂肪肝组比较,在S1-S3期差异有统计学意义（P〈0.05）,S4期的诊断受肝细胞脂肪变性的影响较小,差异无统计学意义（P〉0.05）。结论不同程度脂肪肝对超声诊断肝纤维化存在影响,并可能使诊断结果偏轻于病理结果。     

Separation of advanced from mild fibrosis in diffuse liver disease using 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy

³¹P-MRS using DRESS was used to compare absolute liver metabolite concentrations (PME, Pi, PDE, γATP, ATP, βATP) in two distinct groups of patients with chronic diffuse liver disorders, one group with steatosis (NAFLD) and none to moderate inflammation (n = 13), and one group with severe fibrosis or cirrhosis (n = 16). All patients underwent liver biopsy and extensive biochemical evaluation. A control group (n = 13) was also included. Absolute concentrations and the anabolic charge, AC = {PME}/({PME} + {PDE}), were calculated.

Comparing the control and cirrhosis groups, lower concentrations of PDE (p = 0.025) and a higher AC (p < 0.001) were found in the cirrhosis group. Also compared to the NAFLD group, the cirrhosis group had lower concentrations of PDE (p = 0.01) and a higher AC (p = 0.009). No significant differences were found between the control and NAFLD group. When the MRS findings were related to the fibrosis stage obtained at biopsy, there were significant differences in PDE between stage F0–1 and stage F4 and in AC between stage F0–1 and stage F2–3.

Using a PDE concentration of 10.5 mM as a cut-off value to discriminate between mild, F0–2, and advanced, F3–4, fibrosis the sensitivity and specificity were 81% and 69%, respectively. An AC cut-off value of 0.27 showed a sensitivity of 93% and a specificity of 54%.

In conclusion, the results suggest that PDE is a marker of liver fibrosis, and that AC is a potentially clinically useful parameter in discriminating mild fibrosis from advanced.     

Emission tomography for assessment of diffuse alcoholic liver disease.

A method of quantitative liver tomoscintigraphy (SPECT) was compared for accuracy with planar scintigraphy (PS) in a group of patients with diffuse alcoholic liver disease. SPECT sensitivity was also compared with that of transmission computed tomography (CT), US, aminopyrine breath test (ABT) and liver chemistries (LC). One hundred and fourteen alcoholic patients with proven liver disease and 17 patients free of liver disease were included. Seven quantitative scintigraphic features and a score, including all criteria were considered. With a specificity of 95%, the sensitivity was 79% in steatosis and 97% in cirrhosis. SPECT showed a better sensitivity than PS (SPECT 89%, PS 66%), especially in patients with steatosis. In the same subsets of patients, SPECT sensitivity also compared favorably with that of transmission CT (SPECT 92%, CT 65%), ultrasonography (SPECT 88%, US 53%) and ABT (SPECT 90%, ABT 63%).     

Value of ultrasonography in the diagnosis of cirrhoses. Prospective study of 128 patients

This prospective study was carried out in order to assess the accuracy of ultrasound in the diagnosis of cirrhosis. One hundred and twenty eight alcoholic patients were included. A careful ultrasonographic examination of the liver was performed before liver biopsy (100 patients). In 15 cases, liver histology was normal, steatosis and/or fibrosis, cirrhosis were diagnosed in 13 and 72 cases respectively. Ultrasonic patterns were classified by the same examiner, according to several criteria: volume, irregular outline, coarse and fine bright echo pattern, attenuation of the ultrasound beam, splenomegaly, ascite, portal hypertension. Cirrhosis was diagnosed in 58 out of 72 patients (80.5%). Specificity was 78.5%, positive and negative predictive values were 90.6% and 61% respectively, and global efficacy was 80%. Irregular outline (0.66), hepatomegaly (0.66) and attenuation of the ultrasound beam (0.64) were the best signs. In case of fine bright echo pattern, the diagnosis of cirrhosis would be missed. The results suggest that ultrasonography is a good test for screening alcoholics for cirrhosis. Therefore, it is useful when liver biopsy is contra indicated or refused or when liver is not detected at the clinical examination.     

Sonography of diffuse benign liver disease: accuracy of pattern recognition and grading

Sonograms of 110 patients were compared to recently performed liver biopsies for evaluation of the accuracy of sonography in predicting the type (pattern) of pathology and its grade of severity (mild, moderate, or severe) in a wide variety of diffuse liver processes. There are two distinct, abnormal sonographic patterns: the fatty-fibrotic pattern seen primarily with cirrhosis, chronic hepatitis, and/or fatty infiltration, and the centrilobular pattern seen primarily with acute hepatitis. Sonography was 88% accurate in assigning the correct pattern to the corresponding pathology (sensitivity 89%, specificity 86%, p less than 0.001). The degree of accuracy was dependent on the grade of pathologic severity, with mild disease offering the greatest difficulty; moderate and severe diseases were accurately detected and placed in the correct pattern in all cases. Sonographic grading of the severity of disease was far less precise (63% overall). This study showed that sonography can distinguish between two abnormal sonographic patterns of diffuse benign liver disease as well as between normal and abnormal patterns.     

Evaluation of different models of experimentally induced liver cirrhosis for MRI research with correlation to histopathologic findings

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: Three models of experimentally induced liver cirrhosis were evaluated for MRI research on chronic liver disease. The influence of different histopathologic changes in liver fibrosis and cirrhosis on relaxation times and signal intensities was studied in vitro and in vivo. METHODS: Liver fibrosis and cirrhosis in rats was induced by oral or subcutaneous administration of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) or by thioacetamide (TAA) in drinking water. On histology, the degree of liver fibrosis and cirrhosis, fatty infiltration, iron accumulation, and inflammatory changes were measured semiquantitatively. The amount of connective tissue was quantitatively determined by morphometry. The results were correlated with T1 and T2 relaxation times and signal intensities of the liver studied in vitro by relaxometry and in vivo by MRI. RESULTS: In both groups with CCl4 administration, histology revealed different degrees of liver fibrosis and cirrhosis. Subcutaneous injection of CCl4 also resulted in increased fatty infiltration. On the contrary, TAA produced complete liver cirrhosis in all animals. Overall, there was a good correlation between the liver T2 relaxation time and the amount of connective tissue in liver fibrosis and cirrhosis. However, the degree of liver fibrosis and cirrhosis was also strongly correlated with the degree of inflammatory changes. In the group with CCl4 administration, there was a good correlation between the fatty infiltration and the T1 relaxation time, as well as with the liver signal intensity on the T1-weighted gradient echo sequence. An increased iron accumulation was also correlated with the degree of liver fibrosis/cirrhosis; however, there was no significant influence of the iron on relaxation times or signal intensities. CONCLUSIONS: The TAA model is easier to perform and more reliable in liver cirrhosis induction than the CCl4 models. Although there is a positive correlation between the T2 relaxation times and the degree of liver fibrosis/cirrhosis, this probably results from the associated inflammatory changes and is not caused by the increased amount of connective tissue.     

Severe liver fibrosis or cirrhosis: accuracy of US for detection--analysis of 300 cases

PURPOSE: To determine the accuracy of various ultrasonographic (US) signs for assessment of the degree of liver fibrosis, with histologic results as reference standard. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three hundred consecutive asymptomatic patients with at least 6 months of increased levels of aspartate aminotransferase and/or alanine aminotransferase underwent liver US and biopsy. The estimated pretest probability of severe fibrosis or cirrhosis was 35%. Three US parameters were investigated: liver surface nodularity, caudate lobe hypertrophy, and pattern of hepatic venous blood flow. US results were compared with histologic results obtained after liver biopsy, which constituted the reference standard for diagnosis of severe fibrosis or cirrhosis. The degree of fibrosis was graded according to METAVIR criteria, with stages 3 and 4 considered together. Data were analyzed with kappa and chi2 statistics. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative likelihood ratios, and posttest probability were calculated for each US sign. RESULTS: In 107 (36%) patients with severe fibrosis (n = 34) or cirrhosis (n = 73), liver surface nodularity had the highest diagnostic accuracy, with specificity of 95% and positive and negative likelihood ratios 11.6 and 0.51, respectively. When liver surface nodularity was considered alone, posttest probability of severe fibrosis or cirrhosis increased from 35% to 86%. When caudate lobe hypertrophy and hepatic venous blood flow were also taken into account, posttest probability increased by only 2% (ie, to 88%). CONCLUSION: US determination of liver surface nodularity is an accurate method for identifying the subset of asymptomatic patients with severe liver fibrosis or cirrhosis, which indicates a worse prognosis.     

乳腺癌化疗及内分泌治疗相关性脂肪肝的影像学定量评估

脂肪肝是乳腺癌病人化疗及内分泌治疗最常见的肝脏并发症,通常是轻中度的脂肪变性,但严重者可进一步引起肝纤维化、肝硬化、肝癌,甚至肝功能衰竭。脂肪变性是一个可逆的过程,对肝脏脂肪变性的定量动态评估可以早期诊断并干预,为其临床评估及治疗提供参考。目前,多种影像方法可检出及定量评估轻中度脂肪肝,就影像检查在乳腺癌化疗及内分泌治疗相关性脂肪肝的早期诊断及定量评估中的应用进行综述。     

Acoustic radiation force impulse-imaging and transient elastography for non-invasive assessment of liver fibrosis and steatosis in NAFLD

Background

Transient elastography (TE) and acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI)-imaging have shown promising results for the staging of liver fibrosis.

Aim

The aim of the present study was to compare ARFI of the left and right liver lobe with TE using the standard and obese probes for the diagnosis of liver fibrosis in NAFL/NASH. In addition, liver steatosis is evaluated using the novel controlled attenuation parameter (CAP).

Methods

Sixty-one patients with NAFLD/NASH were included in the study. All patients received TE with both probes, ARFI of both liver lobes and CAP. The results were compared with liver histology.

Results

57 patients were included in the final analysis. The diagnostic accuracy for TE measurements with the M-and XL-probe and for ARFI of the right and left liver lobe was 0.73, 0.84, 0.71 and 0.60 for the diagnosis of severe fibrosis, and 0.93, 0.93, 0.74 and 0.90 for the diagnosis of cirrhosis, respectively. No significant difference of results was observed between TE and ARFI in the subgroup of patients with reliable TE-measurement when taking into account the best results of both methods. However, while a significant correlation could be found for TE with histological liver fibrosis, the correlation of ARFI with liver fibrosis was not statistically significant. A significant correlation was found for CAP with histological steatosis (r = 0.49, p < 0.001).

Conclusions

No significant difference in diagnostic accuracy for the non-invasive assessment of liver fibrosis was found for transient elastography and ARFI. Nevertheless TE significantly correlated with liver fibrosis while ARFI did not. CAP enables the non-invasive assessment of steatosis.     

The effect of hepatic steatosis and fibrosis on liver weight and dimensions

The liver is the most commonly injured abdominal organ, accounting for around half of abdominal organ injuries. The emergence of liver injury is determined by the injury mechanism, force, and tissue vulnerability. The vulnerability of the liver depends on the strength of the capsule and parenchyma, as well as the weight and dimensions of the liver. The common hepatic diseases, like steatosis, fibrosis, and cirrhosis, can change the organ weight and dimensions, but their exact correlation is not well known. This study was designed to evaluate the correlation between liver diseases, weight, and dimensions. The liver weight, horizontal, vertical, and antero-posterior length were measured obtained by 213 forensic autopsies. The recorded data were compared with body height, age, and liver histology. Body height positively correlated with liver weight (R² = 0.252), but the correlation was much stronger in the case of livers without structural disease (R² = 0.450). The liver size seems to significantly decrease with age (R² = 0.081), but the effect is mostly due to structural alterations that are proven by histology. The comparison of the liver weight in various histological groups clearly indicated that steatosis increases the liver size, but fibrosis does not (if no steatosis is present at the same time). In general, liver dimensions increase proportionally to the liver weight. However, hepatic steatosis causes disproportional enlargement: it does not have a significant effect on the horizontal dimension and has only a minor effect on the vertical dimension. Steatosis affects disproportionally the dimensions with a strange tendency to expand liver anteroposteriorly.     

256层螺旋 CT 灌注成像区分轻、中度肝纤维化的价值

目的：探讨256层螺旋C T灌注成像区分轻、中度肝纤维化的价值。方法分析经肝穿刺活检证实轻度肝纤维化（F1期）患者18例和中度肝纤维化（F2、F3期）患者21例,均行256层螺旋CT肝脏灌注成像,采用体灌注软件获得肝动脉灌注（HAP）,门静脉灌注（PVP）,全肝总灌注（TLP）和达峰时间（TTP）参数值,对比分析2组灌注参数值差异,采用受试者工作特征曲线（ROC）评价各灌注指标区分轻、中度肝纤维化的能力,选择约登指数最大作为截断点,计算敏感度及特异度。结果中度肝纤维化患者与轻度肝纤维化患者相比,TTP明显增加[（43．86±13．41） s vs （37．84±9．97） s ,P＝0．034）],HAP、PVP及 TLP均无显著差异。ROC分析显示,TTP阈值在41．7 s区分轻、中度肝纤维化的敏感性为72．7％,特异性为75％。结论256层螺旋CT灌注参数能反映肝纤维化的血流动力学改变,TTP有助于区分轻、中度肝纤维化。     

DWI和~1H-MRS在肝纤维化中的诊断价值

目的:探讨扩散加权成像(DWI)与氢质子波谱分析(1 H-MRS)在肝纤维化中的诊断价值。方法:使用腹腔注射CCl4溶液法诱导建立兔肝纤维化模型并进行DWI和1 H-MRS检查。DWI使用SE-EPI序列(b1=0s/mm2,b2=600s/mm2),1 H-MRS使用单体素点分辨波谱分析(PRESS)序列(TR 1500ms,TE 35ms),测量表观扩散系数(ADC)值及胆碱(Cho)和脂质(lipid)波峰下面积的比值(Cho/lipid)。以病理学肝纤维化分期为基础,将兔划分为无肝纤维化组(S0)、轻度-中度纤维化组(S1-S2)和重度纤维化及肝硬化组(S3-S4),比较不同组间ADC值和Cho/lipid变化规律。结果:随肝纤维化程度加重,ADC值依次降低(P<0.01),Cho/lipid依次升高(P<0.05);重度纤维化及肝硬化组与另两组ADC值及Cho/lipid差异均具有统计学意义(P均<0.05)。结论:DWI和1 H-MRS具备一定的定量肝纤维化及检测重度纤维化及肝硬化的能力。     

超声微泡肝内渡越时间无创性评价肝纤维化程度的可行性

目的探讨超声造影(CEUS)微泡肝内渡越时间评价肝纤维化程度的可行性。方法根据Scheuer评分将83例慢性乙肝患者分为无纤维化组(S0期)、轻度肝纤维化组(S1～S2期)、中度肝纤维化组(S3期)和重度肝纤维化组(S4期),分别行CEUS检查,计算对比剂肝动脉-肝静脉渡越时间(HA-HVTT)、门静脉-肝静脉渡越时间(PV-HVTT)及肝实质-肝静脉渡越时间(PA-HVTT),比较各组渡越时间与肝纤维化程度的相关性。结果无纤维化组HA-HVTT、PV-HVTT、PA-HVTT与对照组无显著差异(P>0.05),轻度肝纤维化组、中度肝纤维化组、重度肝纤维化组HA-HVTT、PV-HVTT、PA-HVTT与对照组均有显著差异(P<0.05)。PV-HVTT在无纤维化组、轻度肝纤维化组、中度肝纤维化组、重度肝纤维化组两两比较均有差异(P<0.05),HA-HVTT、PA-HVTT在无纤维化组与轻度肝纤维化组之间、轻度肝纤维化组与重度肝纤维化组之间有差异(P<0.05)。HA-HVTT、PV-HVTT和PA-HVTT与纤维化程度均呈负相关(r=-0.53,r=-0.71,r=-0.48,P<0.01)。结论 CEUS获取的肝内渡越时间是无创性评价肝纤维化程度的参考依据。     

Liver disease in children with cystic fibrosis: US-biochemical comparison in 195 patients

PURPOSE: To determine if abnormal liver architecture at ultrasonography (US) is related to abnormal function in children with cystic fibrosis (CF). MATERIALS AND METHODS: For 1 year, all 195 children (112 boys, 83 girls; mean age, 8.5 years) attending a CF clinic underwent abdominal US and a standard set of liver function tests. Aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and gamma-glutamyltransferase levels were analyzed. US signs were interpreted as follows: hypoechogenicity with prominent portal tracks as edema, hyperechogenicity as steatosis, and increased attenuation and nodules within or at the edge of the liver as cirrhosis. Signs of portal hypertension also were sought. US signs were compared with liver function test results. RESULTS: Liver sonograms were abnormal in 38 children (19%); of these, 24 (63%) had abnormal test results. The 157 children with normal liver architecture had a much lower prevalence of biochemical abnormality (33 patients [21%]; P < or = .001). All eight children with signs of portal hypertension had abnormal test results. Fourteen (82%) of 17 children with signs of cirrhosis had abnormal liver function. Eight (57%) of 14 patients with signs of steatosis had abnormal function. Diffuse hypoechogenicity of the liver with prominent portal tracks in 16 patients was associated with abnormal function in only five patients. CONCLUSION: The relation between abnormal liver architecture at US and results of three liver function tests in children with CF was significant. The most specific US abnormalities related to abnormal function are signs suggestive of portal hypertension and cirrhosis.     

Can Doppler sonography grade the severity of hepatitis C-related liver disease?

OBJECTIVE: Many authors have claimed that Doppler sonography indexes are of value in grading and assessing diffuse liver disease. However, there is much controversy regarding the reliability and reproducibility of these techniques. We performed a prospective study to evaluate whether these methods can grade disease in a well-stratified cohort of patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related liver disease. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Sixty-five patients with biopsy-proven HCV-related liver disease were recruited, and Doppler sonography was performed by one operator. The patients were classified into one of the following three groups on the basis of the Ishak-modified histologic activity index (HAI) fibrosis (F) and necroinflammatory (NI) scores: mild hepatitis (F < or = 2 and NI < or = 3), moderate or severe hepatitis (3 < or = F < 6 or NI > or = 4), or cirrhosis (F = 6/6). We measured the following Doppler indexes: main hepatic artery peak velocity (Vmax) and resistive index, main portal vein peak velocity (Vmax), and maximal portal vein diameter and circumference that allowed calculation of the portal vein congestive index (portal vein area and portal vein velocity). The ratio of the hepatic artery velocity (Vmax) to the portal vein velocity (Vmax) was also calculated, and the phasicity (triphasic, biphasic, or monophasic) of the hepatic veins of each patient was recorded. We also measured the maximal spleen length longitudinally. RESULTS: A total of 65 patients with liver disease (mild hepatitis, n = 20; moderate or severe hepatitis, n = 25; cirrhosis, n = 20) with biopsy-proven HCV-related liver disease were studied. Optimal hepatic arterial traces were obtained in only 30 patients and portal vein circumference in 18 patients. No significant differences were observed in the Doppler indexes with increasing severity of liver disease. Five (29%) of 17 patients with mild hepatitis had an abnormal hepatic vein trace (i.e., biphasic or monophasic) compared with 11 (55%) of 20 patients with moderate or severe hepatitis and 12 (60%) of 20 patients with cirrhosis. The only index to show a significant intergroup difference was splenic length (analysis of variance, p < 0.001), but there was still overlap between the groups. CONCLUSION: Doppler-derived indexes, which have previously been recommended for the assessment of severity in chronic liver disease, are difficult to reproduce reliably and therefore have a limited clinical role in the noninvasive assessment of hepatic fibrosis or inflammation.     

乙肝患者外周血单核细胞比例与肝脏病变程度的关系研究

目的探讨乙肝患者外周血单核细胞比例与肝脏病变程度的关系。方法收集2010-2011年解放军302医院明确诊断的轻中度慢性乙型肝炎患者197例(肝炎组)、乙肝肝硬化患者248例(肝硬化组),以同期269例健康体检者作为对照组。采用Sysmex XE-2100血液分析仪进行全血细胞分析,实时荧光PCR扩增仪进行血清HBV DNA定量,ELISA法测定血清肝纤维化指标透明质酸(HA)、层粘连蛋白(LN)、Ⅳ型胶原(IV.C)、Ⅲ型前胶原(PCⅢ)水平。共390例患者进行了肝组织活检,参照中华医学会《病毒性肝炎防治方案》(2000年)进行肝脏炎症程度(G0-G4)及纤维化程度(S0-S4)评价。结果全血细胞分析结果表明,肝炎组和肝硬化组外周血单核细胞比例(分别为8.93%±3.05%、9.85%±3.61%)明显高于对照组(8.16%±1.88%,P<0.01),且肝硬化组明显高于肝炎组(P<0.01);血清HBV DNA定量分析表明,239例HBV DNA≥100U/ml的患者单核细胞比例(8.61%±2.83%)显著高于206例HBV DNA<100U/ml的患者(8.12%±2.53%,P<0.05);ELISA检测结果表明,肝硬化组肝纤维化指标HA、LN、IV.C、PCⅢ水平均明显高于肝炎组,且同组内肝纤维化指标升高者的单核细胞比例高于肝纤维化指标正常者;390例患者的肝组织活检病理结果显示,随肝脏炎症及纤维化程度加重,单核细胞比例升高的患者逐渐增多,差异有统计学意义(P<0.01,P<0.01)。结论乙肝患者外周血单核细胞比例升高与肝脏病变程度关系密切,可在一定程度上反映肝脏的炎症及纤维化水平。     

Accuracy of ultrasound in the detection of liver fibrosis in chronic viral hepatitis

PURPOSE: To assess the accuracy of ultrasonography (US) in the identification and grading of hepatic fibrosis in patients afflicted with chronic viral liver disease, compared to histological examination as a gold standard. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We prospectively studied 105 patients (32 F, 73 M) affected by chronic viral liver disease in 36 months. Patients were studied with B-mode US and then underwent US-guided liver biopsy. All the patients were studied with conventional US with a Sequoia 512, 6.0 (Acuson, Mountain View CA, USA). We evaluated the following US parameters: liver margins, parenchymal echotexture, portal vein caliber and spleen diameter. The four B-mode US parameters were used for the US grading (from 0 to 4). Scheuer's grading (from 0 to 4) was used for the histological score. Grades 3 and 4 were considered as positive for fibrosis. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values and accuracy were calculated in the case of absence, positivity of one or all the US parameters. The correlation between US and histological scores was evaluated with Spearman's test. RESULTS: At histology seventy-seven patients (73%) had absent grade 0 (1 patient; 1%), low-moderate grade 1 (35 patients; 33%) or grade 2 (41 patients; 39%) liver fibrosis. Twenty-eight patients (27%) had severe grade 3 (16 patients; 15%) or grade 4 (12 patients; 11%) fibrosis. In the case of absence of US parameters sensitivity was 32%, specificity 32%, positive predictive value 15%, negative predictive value 57% and accuracy 32%. In the case of positivity of at least one of the US parameters the values were 68%, 68%, 43%, 84% and 69%. In the case of presence of all the US signs the results were 25%, 100%, 100%, 79% and 80%. None of the 77 patients with a healthy liver or with low-grade fibrosis was positive for all the US parameters. All the patients positive for all of the ultrasonographic parameters had high-grade fibrosis or cirrhosis at liver biopsy. Correlation between B-mode and histological scores was not statistically significant (Rs=0.45; p=0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: US identification of liver fibrosis in chronic liver disease is possible with 25% sensitivity, 100% specificity, 100% positive predictive value and 79% negative predictive value, with an 80% diagnostic accuracy.     

Computerized liver imaging: relationship with quantitatively estimated histological parameters in liver cirrhosis

In liver cirrhosis, increased splenic uptake of radiocolloid, causing the liver-to-spleen (L/S) ratio to decrease, is a characteristic finding, especially during advanced illness. Histologically, advanced liver cirrhosis shows progressive replacement of hepatic parenchyma by fibrous tracts, making it possible to quantify both image and histological parameters. On this basis, the authors performed this study in 39 alcoholic cirrhotic patients in order to determine the relationship between the L/S ratio and right-to-left hepatic lobe ratio (RL/LL) and the degree of fibrosis, fat droplet area, total fat amount, and hepatocyte area. The authors tested if it is possible to predict the degree of fibrosis on the basis of image features or on a combination of image and biochemical parameters, using multiple correlation studies. The degree of fibrosis correlates with the L/S ratio (r = -0.48). The degree of correlation improved using prothrombin, gamma globulin and L/S ratio (r = 0.656), but not enough to allow an accurate estimation of the degree of fibrosis on the basis of a combination of imaging and biochemical data. Neither RL/LL nor L/S ratios significantly correlated with fatty infiltration, fat droplet area, or hepatocyte enlargement. Thus, liver imaging is not useful in quantifying the main histological changes observed in alcoholic liver cirrhosis.     

Early heterogeneous enhancement of the liver: magnetic resonance imaging findings and clinical significance

PURPOSE: To investigate and assess the radiologic, serological, and histopathologic findings in patients who presented with early heterogeneous enhancement (EHE) on gadolinium-enhanced early-phase magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the liver. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We searched our radiologic records of MRI of the liver from July 1999 to April 2002 to identify patients with EHE. Three investigators retrospectively evaluated in consensus the MR images in each patient for intensity and characteristic of EHE blinded to clinical information. Serological laboratory values and clinical information were obtained in all patients, and histologic findings were available in 19. RESULTS: We identified 67 patients with EHE. Of them, 62 patients (93%) had underlying chronic liver disease. Twenty-seven patients had viral hepatitis, 13 had alcohol abuse, 6 had primary sclerosing cholangitis, and the others had miscellaneous etiologies. The five patients without chronic liver disease had the following clinical histories: concurrent chemotherapy for extrahepatic malignancy (two patients), concurrent intraabdominal infection (one), and no known associated disease (two). Intensity of EHE was intense in 6 (9%), moderate in 22 (33%), and mild in 39 (58%). Pattern of EHE was geographic in 15 patients (22%), patchy in 37 (55%), and miliary in 15 (22%). All EHE showed rapid fading on postcontrast late-phase images. EHE showed mild to moderate hyperintensity on T2-weighted images in 30 patients (45%). In the 19 patients with histological correlation, 19 (100%) had hepatocellular necrosis, 19 (100%) had fibrosis, 18 (95%) had inflammatory cell infiltration, 17 (89%) had capillary-size vessels within fibrous septa, and 16 (84%) had ductal proliferation. No statistical correlation was found between the intensity or pattern of EHE on MR images and the extent of elevation of serological laboratory values or severity of histologic findings. CONCLUSION: Several different types of underlying chronic liver disease were observed in most of the patients with EHE. Hepatocyte necrosis, fibrosis, or inflammatory processes were found in all patients with EHE who had histopathological correlation.     

Regenerative nodules in liver cirrhosis: findings at CT during arterial portography and CT hepatic arteriography with histopathologic correlation

PURPOSE: To determine the appearance of regenerative nodules in patients with liver cirrhosis at computed tomography (CT) during arterial portography (CTAP) and CT hepatic arteriography (CTHA). MATERIALS AND METHODS: CTAP and CTHA of the liver were performed in 28 consecutive patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who were scheduled to undergo partial resection of the liver. Helical CTAP was performed after contrast material injection into the superior mesenteric artery followed by helical CTHA after contrast material injection into the hepatic artery. CT scans were analyzed for the presence of identifiable nodules and their size; results were correlated with gross and microscopic findings. RESULTS: Resected livers showed cirrhosis in 20 patients, chronic hepatitis in four, and normal liver in four. Among the 20 patients with cirrhosis, regenerative nodules were demonstrated as enhancing 3-10 mm nodules surrounded by lower attenuation fibrous septa 0.8-1.5 mm thick at CTAP in seven patients and nonenhancing nodules of the same size surrounded by enhancing fibrous septa at CTHA in 15 patients. The degree of fibrosis determined the conspicuity of nodules. CONCLUSION: Regenerative nodules in cirrhotic liver are visualized as enhancing nodules surrounded by lower attenuation thin septa at CTAP and nonenhancing nodules surrounded by enhancing fibrous septa at CTHA. CTHA is more sensitive than CTAP in depicting regenerative nodules (P < .005).