Diagnostic Value of Conventional and Doppler Ultrasound Findings in Liver Fibrosis in Patients with Chronic Viral Hepatitis

摘要

Background: The main outcome of virus-related hepatitis is progression to liver fibrosis. Therefore, early diagnosis is very important in the treatment and management of patients. Although liver biopsy is the gold standard test for assessment of liver fibrosis, it is expensive and has some disadvantages such as sampling errors, interobserver variability, and a significant mortality and morbidity rate. Moreover, this method is invasive and has side effects, especially if it needs repeated sampling. In order to come up with a reliable noninvasive modality in place of biopsy, we studied the value of grayscale ultrasonography (US) and Doppler ultrasonography (DS) for the diagnosis of liver fibrosis in patients with chronic viral hepatitis. Patients and methods: Sixty patients, 43 with chronic hepatitis B and 17 with chronic hepatitis C, were enrolled in this study. Grayscale US and DS were performed for all patients in the week prior to liver biopsy. Ultrasonographic findings were recorded according to a US scoring system, and they were compared with histological findings after liver biopsy.