Ultrasonography of cirrhosis

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Author: Mikael Häggström [notes 1]

Planning

Need of investigation

The diagnosis of cirrhosis can be made by physical examination and blood testing alone,[1] but ultrasonography is very helpful as an additional diagnostic tool at least in subtle disease.

Choice of modality

Ultrasonography is the first-line modality of medical imaging in patients with suspected cirrhosis and/or portal hypertension.[2] US is also typically the initial, first-line modality choice for the diagnosis and follow-up of portal hypertension.[3]

Diagnosis

File:Ascites ultrasound 2.JPG
Irregular liver surface and ascites.

Cirrhosis is indicated by:

  • Surface nodularity: (sensitivity 88%, specificity 82-95%)[4]
  • General coarse and heterogeneous texture[4]
  • Segmental hypertrophy or atrophy[4]
  • Relative expansion of the caudate lobe, creating a ratio of caudate width compared to right lobe width of >0.65 (sensitivity 43-84%, specificity 100%)[4]
  • Reduction of the transverse diameter (<30 mm) of the medial segment of the left lobe (segment IV).[4]
  • Fatty change which is variable [4]
  • Signs of portal hypertension[4]
  • Dilated portal vein: >13 mm (sensitivity 42%, specificity 95-100%)[4]
  • Slow portal venous flow on Doppler: <15 cm/sec[4]
  • Reversal or alternating directions of portal venous flow[4]
  • Portal venous thrombosis with or without cavernous transformation[4]
  • Dilated superior mesenteric vein and splenic vein of > 10mm.[4] These should be measured during deep inspiration since it may vary with respiration.[4]
  • Loss of respiratory variation in superior mesenteric vein and splenic vein on spectral Doppler[4]
  • Re-canalisation and hepatofugal paraumbilical venous flow.[4]
  • Dilated porto-systemic collaterals.[4]
  • Portalisation of hepatic vein flow on Doppler[4]
  • Corkscrew appearance of hepatic arteries[4]
  • Increased velocity in hepatic artery[4]
  • Splenomegaly[4]
  • Ascites[4]

Surveillance

In patients with a diagnosis of cirrhosis, surveillance ultrasonography of hepatocellular cancer (HCC) is indicated, generally every 6 months.[5]

Notes

  1. For a full list of contributors, see article history. Creators of images are attributed at the image description pages, seen by clicking on the images. See Radlines:Authorship for details.

References

  1. Udell, JA; Wang, CS; Tinmouth, J; FitzGerald, JM; Ayas, NT; Simel, DL; Schulzer, M; Mak, E; et al. (Feb 22, 2012). "Does this patient with liver disease have cirrhosis? ". JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association 307 (8): 832–42. doi:10.1001/jama.2012.186. PMID 22357834. 
  2. Procopet, Bogdan; Berzigotti, Annalisa (2017). "Diagnosis of cirrhosis and portal hypertension: imaging, non-invasive markers of fibrosis and liver biopsy ". Gastroenterology Report 5 (2): 79–89. doi:10.1093/gastro/gox012. ISSN 2052-0034. 
  3. Bandali, Murad Feroz; Mirakhur, Anirudh; Lee, Edward Wolfgang; Ferris, Mollie Clarke; Sadler, David James; Gray, Robin Ritchie; Wong, Jason Kam (2017). "Portal hypertension: Imaging of portosystemic collateral pathways and associated image-guided therapy ". World Journal of Gastroenterology 23 (10): 1735. doi:10.3748/wjg.v23.i10.1735. ISSN 1007-9327. 
  4. 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 4.11 4.12 4.13 4.14 4.15 4.16 4.17 4.18 4.19 4.20 Dr Yuranga Weerakkody, A.Prof Frank Gaillard et al.. Cirrhosis. Radiopaedia. Retrieved on 2018-06-16.
  5. Fateen, Waleed; Ryder, Stephen (2017). "Screening for hepatocellular carcinoma: patient selection and perspectives ". Journal of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Volume 4: 71–79. doi:10.2147/JHC.S105777. ISSN 2253-5969.