Ultrasonography of steatosis
Author:
Mikael Häggström [notes 1]
Planning
Choice of modality
- Ultrasonography of steatosis is a good method for screening. Quantification can be done, but it is not as accurate as MRI.
- MRI of liver steatosis is the most accurate method to quantify liver steatosis.
- CT of the liver should not be used to detect or stage liver steatosis. Steatosis on CT scan is displayed as a liver with attenuation lower than usual. CT has high sensitivity for moderate and severe steatosis, but lower for mild steatosis.
How soon
Within 2 months in Swedish practice[notes 2]
Evaluation
Liver echogenicity, as compared to the kidney, where liver hyperechogenicity indicates steatosis.
It is also appropriate to perform a general upper abdominal screening.
Abdominal ultrasonography of focal steatosis. It can br distinguished from a tumor by absence of signs of expansion, in this case not compressing the hepatic vein going through it.
Report
- Normal: "Normal liver echogenicity."
- Hyperechogenic: "Hyperechogenic liver parenchyma, indicating steatosis".
- See also: General notes on reporting
Notes
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ NU Hospital Group, Sweden