1Department of Radiology, University of Ulsan, College of Medicine Asan Medical Center, Korea. kscho@amc.seoul.kr 2Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Soonchunhyang University, Korea.
Published online: September 1, 2002.
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To correlate serologic test and pathologic findings with change of hepatic parenchymal echogenicity on ultrasound (US) in patients with chronic renal failure. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From January 1995 to April 2000, among eight hundred eighty four patients with kidney transplantation due to chronic renal failure, sixty seven patients who underwent US-guided liver biopsy were selected. Change of liver echogenicity on US was analyzed , and this change was compared with serologic test and pathologic findings. RESULTS: Among sixty seven patients, pathologic finding of thirty four patients with the normal liver echogenicity on US revealed normal in 15 patients (44%), viral hepatitis in 18 (53%), and liver cirrhosis in one patient (3%). Meanwhile, twenty seven patients with chronic liver disease on US were pathologically confirmed as normal in 13 patients (48%), viral hepatitis in 11 (40%), liver cirrhosis in four patients (11%); six patients with cirrhotic change on US, liver cirrhosis in four patients (67%) and viral hepatitis in two patients (33%). Serologic test of thirty four patients with the normal liver echogenicity on US showed positive HBs Ag in 17 patients (50%), positive anti-HCV Ab in 11 (32%), positive in both HBs Ag and anti-HCV Ab in one (3%), and normal result in five patients (15%). CONCLUSION: In patients with chronic renal failure, it is not enough to determine the presence of liver disease only based on change of echogenicity on US. A careful correlation with serologic test and, if needed, pathologic confirmation are recommended for the accurate preoperative evaluation of the liver.
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