Alcoholic liver disease other imaging findings

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: M. Khurram Afzal, MD [2]

Overview

There have been recent advances towards newer imaging modalities to help detect and quantify hepatic fibrosis and cirrhosis. These investigations are comparable to the gold standard that is liver biopsy to confirm the diagnosis of liver cirrhosis.

Other Imaging Findings

More recent imaging techniques include:^[1]^[2]
- Transient elastography (FibroScan)
- Acoustic radiation force impulse
- Magnetic resonance elastography
The listed newer imaging techniques have the following characteristics:
- Measure liver stiffness by using a tranducer
- Transmits and measures vibration (elastic shear wave) as it propagates through the liver
- Velocity of the wave passing through the liver correlates directly with tissue stiffness
Note: Alcoholic steatohepatitis often coexists with fibrosis, since these tests are based on measurement of liver stiffness, it is better to wait until AST is less than 100U/L during alcohol withdrawal in order to preserve the diagnostic accuracy of this test.^[3]

References

↑ Piscaglia F, Marinelli S, Bota S, Serra C, Venerandi L, Leoni S, Salvatore V (2014). “The role of ultrasound elastographic techniques in chronic liver disease: current status and future perspectives”. Eur J Radiol. 83 (3): 450–5. doi:10.1016/j.ejrad.2013.06.009. PMID 23891139.
↑ Crespo G, Fernández-Varo G, Mariño Z, Casals G, Miquel R, Martínez SM, Gilabert R, Forns X, Jiménez W, Navasa M (2012). “ARFI, FibroScan, ELF, and their combinations in the assessment of liver fibrosis: a prospective study”. J. Hepatol. 57 (2): 281–7. doi:10.1016/j.jhep.2012.03.016. PMID 22521355.
↑ Mueller S, Millonig G, Sarovska L, Friedrich S, Reimann FM, Pritsch M, Eisele S, Stickel F, Longerich T, Schirmacher P, Seitz HK (2010). “Increased liver stiffness in alcoholic liver disease: differentiating fibrosis from steatohepatitis”. World J. Gastroenterol. 16 (8): 966–72. PMC 2828601. PMID 20180235.

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[pmid23891139-1] Piscaglia F, Marinelli S, Bota S, Serra C, Venerandi L, Leoni S, Salvatore V (2014). “The role of ultrasound elastographic techniques in chronic liver disease: current status and future perspectives”. Eur J Radiol. 83 (3): 450–5. doi:10.1016/j.ejrad.2013.06.009. PMID 23891139.

[pmid22521355-2] Crespo G, Fernández-Varo G, Mariño Z, Casals G, Miquel R, Martínez SM, Gilabert R, Forns X, Jiménez W, Navasa M (2012). “ARFI, FibroScan, ELF, and their combinations in the assessment of liver fibrosis: a prospective study”. J. Hepatol. 57 (2): 281–7. doi:10.1016/j.jhep.2012.03.016. PMID 22521355.

[pmid20180235-3] Mueller S, Millonig G, Sarovska L, Friedrich S, Reimann FM, Pritsch M, Eisele S, Stickel F, Longerich T, Schirmacher P, Seitz HK (2010). “Increased liver stiffness in alcoholic liver disease: differentiating fibrosis from steatohepatitis”. World J. Gastroenterol. 16 (8): 966–72. PMC 2828601. PMID 20180235.

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Alcoholic liver disease other imaging findings

Overview

Other Imaging Findings

References

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